TRANSPORT

Motorways

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on his assessment of the merits of widening motorways;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the environmental impacts of increased road building in the midlands.

David Jamieson: The merits and impacts of individual proposals, including motorway widening, are assessed as part of the appraisal and decision taking process. The appraisal covers the expected impact on road safety, journey time and reliability, regeneration, accessibility, integration and the environment. Among the environmental impacts measured in the appraisal are the effects on the scheme on noise, local air quality, greenhouse gases, biodiversity, heritage, landscape and townscape. Full details are provided in the Department's Guidance on the Methodology for Multi-Modal Studies, available on the Department's website.

Vehicle Excise Duty

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances there were of vehicle excise duty evasion in (a) England and (b) London broken down by local authority, in each year since 1997.

David Jamieson: The estimated number of vehicles evading Vehicle Excise Duty in each year since 1997 in (a) England and (b) London is as follows:
	
		Thousands
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 England 1,424.1 1,472.7 1,336.3 1,403.1 1,481.4 1,559.6 
			 London 178.8 184.6 161.8 171.0 179.1 187.2 
		
	
	A breakdown of evasion by local authority area could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Service

Tony Wright: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office from which employment sectors outside appointments to the senior civil service were recruited in the last two years.

Douglas Alexander: Information is published annually by the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners. Their breakdown of appointments to the senior civil service through open competition is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 2000–01  
			 Civil service 77 
			 Other public sector 98 
			 Private sector 27 
			   
			 2001–02  
			 Civil service 77 
			 Other public sector 86 
			 Private sector 37 
			   
			 2002–03  
			 Civil service 42 
			 Other public sector 47 
			 Private sector 56 
			 Voluntary sector 1 
		
	
	Since 16 July 2002 the commissioners have only collected information on open competitions for SCS top management posts as Departments were given authority to run their own open competitions for former grade 5 posts. Prior to this date they collected information on all SCS posts that were put out to open competition. For consistency this answer refers to the commissioners figures.

Ministerial Visits

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the Cabinet Office Ministers' UK visits broken down by region for May 2002 to May 2003.

Douglas Alexander: Details of UK visits undertaken by me and Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, between May 2002 and May 2003 are set out in the table.
	Visits within England are broken down by Government office administrative region. Internal meetings held at locations outside London are not included.
	
		
			 Minister Date Engagement Region 
		
		
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 12 July 2002 Hermitage education lecture, Durham North-east 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 5 August 2002 Duchy of Lancaster reception, Preston North-west 
			 Minister of State, Cabinet Office, Douglas Alexander 9 September 2002 Visit to Yorkshire Forward and launch of Yorkshire Grocers' website Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 10 September 2002 Commonwealth Association of Public Administration event: "Getting Service Delivery Right", Glasgow Scotland 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 26 November 2002 Visit to Emergency Planning College, Easingwold Yorkshire and the Humber 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 29 November 2002 Visit to Brighton College and Brighton and Hove Council South-east 
			 Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald 6 December 2002 Government Procurement Service Conference, Brighton South-east 
			 Minister of State, Cabinet Office, Douglas Alexander 13 March 2003 Speech on devolution, Oxford South-east

TREASURY

Drug Seizures

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the quantity of (a) heroin, (b) cocaine and (c) cannabis that escaped detection while being imported into the UK.

John Healey: The National Criminal Intelligence Service's published Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2002 estimates that around 30 tonnes of heroin and 40 tonnes of cocaine are smuggled annually into the UK. There is no estimate for cannabis.

Unpaid Carers

David Ruffley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unpaid carers there are in (a) England, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Cambridgeshire and (e) Essex; and what percentage of unpaid carers are working over 50 hours per week.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Ruffley, dated 25 June 2003
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many unpaid carers there are in (a) England, (b) Suffolk, (c) Norfolk, (d) Cambridgeshire and (e) Essex; and what percentage of unpaid carers are working over 50 hours per week.
	The number of people providing unpaid care and percentage of people who provide unpaid care for 50 or more hours a week as recorded in the 2001 Census is shown in Table KS08 of the 2001 Census Report on Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales, which was published on 13 February. A copy of this report was placed in the House of Commons library and is also available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Expodata/Spreadsheets/D6565.xls (Table KS08 Health and Provision of unpaid care).
	I have extracted the following figures from the published table.
	
		Provision of unpaid care in the 2001 Census
		
			  Number of people who provide unpaid care Percentage of people who provide unpaid care, who do so for 50 or more hours a week 
		
		
			 (a) England 4,877,060 20.48 
			 (b) Suffolk 66,486 18.92 
			 (c) Norfolk 81,653 20.62 
			 (d) Cambridgeshire 50,673 17.01 
			 (e) Essex 129,236 18.71 
		
	
	Source:2001 Census Report on Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales, Table KS08, ONS

Aviation Fuel

Geraint Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how much the Treasury would receive per year if aviation fuel was taxed at the same rate as fuel used by the private motorist; and how much income was received from passenger taxes in 2002–03.

John Healey: Levying duty on commercial aviation turbine fuel in the UK at the same duty rate as that charged on ultra low sulphur petrol which is currently 45.82 pence per litre, would have raised approximately £6.3 billion in 2002–03, assuming no impact on demand or supply.
	The revenue raised by the Exchequer from the Air Passenger Duty in 2002–03, as published in this year's Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC 500), is estimated to be £0.8 billion.

Credit Unions

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to promote and develop the use of credit unions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: The Government support credit unions, and the role they play in providing access to affordable credit and alleviating financial exclusion. We are keen to create an environment in which the movement can grow and prosper. For example, we have undertaken a programme of legislative reform to help improve the operational flexibility of credit unions and increase the number of services they can offer their members.
	We are continuing to work with the sector to see how we can support and encourage its future development.

Energy Efficiency Investment

Alan Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on delay in the instigation of the second phase of the consultation exercise on fiscal instruments to promote investment in energy efficiency.

John Healey: The Government consulted on the case for using economic instruments to improve household energy efficiency during 2002 and a summary of responses was published on the Treasury website in January 2003.
	As announced in Budget 2003, having fully considered the responses the Government intend to undertake further detailed consultation on specific measures to encourage household energy efficiency shortly.

European Economic Convergence

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his statement of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 411, on economic and monetary union, what discussions he has had with the Deputy Prime Minister concerning his intention to build on and extend the reforms already announced in respect of planning and supply in the housing market.

John Healey: The Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister are in regular and frequent contact on a wide range of issues including the proposals announced in the statement of 9 June concerning planning and supply.

European Economic Convergence

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has commissioned into the link between the growth in house prices and consumption in countries in the eurozone.

Paul Boateng: I refer the hon. Member to the EMU study 'Housing, consumption and EMU' published alongside the assessment of the five economic tests on 9 June 2003.

Heavily Indebted Poor Countries

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 4 June 2003, Official Report, column 429W, if he has made an assessment of why companies have not taken advantage of these tax incentives.

John Healey: At the recent Evian Summit the G8 agreed to ask the IMF and World bank to intensify their efforts to secure the full participation of all creditors, and to explore further options to deal with the issue of creditor litigation. The Government are absolutely committed to the rapid and full implementation of the HIPC initiative and will continue to use future meetings of the IMF and the World bank to push for greater efforts on debt relief.
	In the UK, tax relief is available to commercial creditors on bad debts owed by overseas states, including HIPCs, and the sovereign debt legislation provides certainty that debts owed by sovereign states could meet the conditions for bad debt relief.
	The Government encourage all commercial creditors to make full use of all the reliefs available to them under this legislation and play their full part in the HIPC process.

Inflation

Michael Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for the proposed move to HICP of the trend in the gap between the RPIX measure of inflation and the HICP measure of inflation.

John Healey: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 412, in which he said that the advantage of the internationally recognised index of consumer prices—HICP—is that it is a better measure, will improve the quality of our target, is in line with best international practice and is used by every other G7 nation but Japan, and by our neighbours in Europe. The Chancellor also said (Official Report, column 414) that, subject to confirmation at the time of the Pre-Budget Report, he intends to change the inflation target at that time.

Inflation

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of changing the measurement used for the Monetary Policy Committee's inflation target on (a) the effectiveness of future monetary policy and (b) the credibility of monetary policy.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 412 in which he said that the HICP was a better measure of inflation for setting monetary policy, would improve the quality of our target, and was in line with best international practice.

Inland Revenue (Scottish Charities)

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the Inland Revenue to investigate the compliance with Scottish charity law of (a) Solutions RMC Ltd. and (b) Breast Cancer Research Scotland.

John Healey: In Scotland, responsibility for the supervision and regulation of charities is exercised by the Scottish Charities Office, on behalf of the Lord Advocate. The Inland Revenue has no responsibility for the conduct of charities, other than in respect of their tax affairs.

Sniffer Dogs

Charles Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many hours a week sniffer-dogs are used to identify illegal meat imports at (a) ports and (b) airports.

John Healey: The information requested is not available; Exemption 4 (Law Enforcement and legal proceedings) of the Open Government Code applies to all such information about Customs anti-smuggling activities.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Air Pollution

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action will be taken by the Environment Agency in respect of the air quality problems suffered in Castle Point over the last five months.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency will continue its investigations into the cause of recent air quality problems and when completed, will decide on action in accordance with it's enforcement and prosecution policy.

Air Pollution

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has for improved air quality monitoring for Castle Point and the surrounding areas;
	(2)  what contingency plans she has put in place to deal with future air quality problems in Castle Point and surrounding areas.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency confirm that there are improved procedures in place at the Pitsea landfill site to monitor and respond to odours produced by the site. Odour checks are carried out by the site operator twice daily, with off site checks carried out weekly. More comprehensive surveys are undertaken bi-monthly. The site's odour action plan has been revised in the light of recent events to provide a better response to any odours identified.

Bushmeat

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the quantity of bushmeat that has arrived in the United Kingdom from African countries in each of the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Veterinary Laboratories Agency published a risk assessment report on 25 March 2003. This estimated the amount of illegal meat of any type imported annually, on average, to be 7,500 tonnes, with 90 per cent. certainty that the amount of illegal meat imported will range from 2,800 tonnes to 17,500 tonnes per year. Table 6–6 indicates that bushmeat contributes on average 6 per cent. of the estimated total flow of illegal meat. Table 6–1, which shows the contribution by world region to the total estimate of illegal flow of meat into GB, indicates that about 23 per cent. of the total comes from African countries. Most—but not all—bushmeat comes from African countries.
	Copies of the report have been placed in the House Libraries.

Bushmeat

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on controlling the commercial exploitation of bushmeat.

Elliot Morley: We are in regular contact at Ministerial and official level with the Department for International Development. Most recently, I met the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn), on 10 June to discuss a range of issues, including action to deal with the trade in bushmeat.

Compensation Claims

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many Rural Payments Agency and British Cattle Movement Service claims remain outstanding; what steps are being taken to clear these claims up; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: All claims under CAP Bovine Schemes in England are paid by the Rural Payments Agency. All involve cross checking of claim details with records maintained by the British Cattle Movement Service on the Cattle Tracing System.
	As at 20 June there were 41,762 advance payments outstanding compared with a scheme total of 242,817 for 2003. At the same date there were 191,358 balance payments outstanding.
	Outstanding advance payments will be paid with the balance payment as a single payment.
	Although the Regulations require payments to be made by 30 June, the UK and several other member states have made representations to the European Commission for extra time in which to complete the process because the introductions this year of a system of aggregated penalties has necessitated extensive redevelopment of the computer system needed to process claims and make the payments.
	Every effort is being made to clear the outstanding payments as quickly as possible. Up-to-date information is posted on the RPA's website www.rpa.gov.uk and information is provided to the press from time to time.

Dairy Farmers

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether it is her policy that direct payments made to dairy farmers under the single farm payment scheme will be allocated only to active producers.

Ben Bradshaw: We agree that, at the outset, dairy compensation payments should be directed to dairy farmers rather than to those who have already left the sector. But with decoupling proposals, single farm payments would not require recipients to remain in dairy thereafter, providing that their land remained in cross compliance. This is all subject to the continuing negotiations on the CAP reform package.

Euro Roadshow

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the events she plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow.

Alun Michael: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard), on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 458W, by my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Healey).

Farming Subsidies

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 875W, on farming subsidies, if she will break down the figure for subsidy in 2001–02 indicating (a) what was subsidised, and by how much and (b) how much of the subsidy was supplied from each funding source; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2001–02 public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies was £4,664 million. The amount is broken down in table 9.1 of the Defra publication "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 2002", which is available in the Library of the House. This indicates the amounts falling either to the EU or the UK budget. Payments for market support and certain payments for rural development will not all have been received directly by the farming industry.
	In addition, UK farmers benefited from the effect of the market regimes and import tariffs, which kept the price of many commodities in the EU higher than elsewhere. The cost of this will have fallen to consumers. In 2000, the latest year for which UK figures are available, we estimate that the CAP cost UK consumers around £3.5 billion through higher prices.

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the antibiotics to which marker genes used in the production of genetically modified crops convey resistance and the medical uses of those antibiotics.

Elliot Morley: The following table lists antibiotics to which marker genes used in the development of genetically modified crops convey resistance and their medical uses in the UK.
	
		
			 Antibiotic Medical uses 
		
		
			 Kanamycin Very little therapeutic use, no licensed products in the UK 
			 Neomycin Various eye drops, dermatology preparations for topical treatment, bowel sterilisation before surgery 
			 Ampicillin A broad spectrum antibiotic, urinary and respiratory tract infections 
			 AmoxyciUin A broad spectrum antibiotic, urinary and respiratory tract infections, prevention of endocarditis 
			 Hygromycin Not licensed in the UK

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which antibiotic marker genes are no longer in use in the genetic modification of plant crops;
	(2)  what progress has been made in phasing out the use of antibiotic marker genes in the genetic modification of plant crops.

Elliot Morley: There is no current list of antibiotic resistance markers that cannot be used in the genetic modification of plant crops. Article 4(2) of Directive 2001/18/EC refers to the phasing out of genes expressing resistance to antibiotics which may have adverse effects on human health and the environment or are of use in medical or veterinary treatment. This phasing out must take place by 31 December 2004 in the case of GM crop plants for marketing and by 31 December 2008 in the case of the release of GM crop plants for research and development purposes. In accordance with this requirement the Commission has established an expert working group to address the use of antibiotic resistance marker (ARMs) genes that GMOs may contain and will aim to produce a list of ARMs which must be phased out.
	The Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment (ACRE) encourages the avoidance and minimisation of the use and expression of superfluous transgenes or sequences in the development of GM crops, including reduced use of marker genes such as ARMs 1 . Antibiotic maker genes which are considered to have adverse effects on human health or the environment have not been approved for either research and development or commercial releases of GM crop plants.
	1 Guidance on Principles of Best Practice in the Design of Genetically Modified Plants; available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/acre/bestprac/guidance/index.htm

GM Crops

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the antibiotic marker genes, and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, that are in use in the genetic modification of plant crops.

Elliot Morley: The table lists the antibiotic resistance marker genes and the antibiotics to which they convey resistance, which have been used in the genetic modification of crop plants for research releases in the United Kingdom.
	
		
			 Gene Antibiotic 
		
		
			 nptll or neo Kanamycin and Neomycin 
			 bla Ampicillin and Amoxycillin 
			 hptll Hygromycin 
		
	
	The intact nptll gene is present in some of the GM crop plants which have received marketing authorisation. The bla gene has been used in the development of some commercial GM crop plants however a fully functional coding gene is not present in any GM plants which have received marketing authorisation in the EU.

Marine Stewardship Council

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list those fisheries which have been awarded grants towards attaining Marine Stewardship Council certification; and what plans she has to publicise them.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 9 June 2003
	Defra has awarded grants under the European Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance towards four fisheries seeking or renewing Marine Stewardship Council fisheries accreditation: the South West handline mackerel fishery; and Dover sole, mackerel and herring caught by the Hastings fishing fleet. South West PESCA Ltd, the Objective 1 grant facilitator in Cornwall, has issued a news release in connection with the former, and Hastings Borough Council is planning to issue a news release shortly in connection with the latter three.

Marine Stewardship Council

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to publicise the work of the Marine Stewardship Council on her Department's website.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 9 June 2003
	The Government welcome the fact that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) encourages and rewards environmentally responsible fisheries management and practices. However, responsibility for publicising the work of the MSC—an independent organisation—lies with the MSC itself.

OSPAR

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many times OSPAR Radioactive Substances Committee met between the OSPAR Conference in Sintra in July 1998 and 31 May 2003; how many reports the Committee published; what the subject matters addressed by the Committee were; and if he will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Radioactive Substances Committee (formally the Working Group on Radioactive Substances) has met on six occasions since the OSPAR Conference in Sintra in July 1998 to discuss matters relating to the implementation of the OSPAR Strategy for Radioactive Substances. Copies of the Summary Records of the RSC meetings are available on the OSPAR website at: www.ospar.org The Committee has published eight reports since 1998, as follows:
	Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 1996. ISBN 0 946955 85 9, published 1998;
	Summary of the Report on Sources, Inputs and Temporal Trends on Radioactive Discharges from Nuclear Installations for the years 1989 to 1995. ISBN number as above, published 1998;
	Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 1997. ISBN 0 946955 91 3, published 1999;
	Summary of the Reports Submitted in the Second Round of Implementation Reporting in Accordance with PARCOM Recommendation 91/4. ISBN number as above, published 1999;
	Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 1998. ISBN 0 946955 97 2, published 2001;
	Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 1999. ISBN 0 946956 63 4, published 2001;
	Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 2000. ISBN 0 946956 91 X, published 2002; and
	Discharges of Radioactive Substances into the Maritime Area by Non-nuclear Industry. ISBN 0 946956 90 1, published 2002.

OSPAR

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs why OSPAR's Radioactive Substances Committee was unable in February 2003 to reach agreement on the baseline for discharges of radioactive waste from the Sellafield Nuclear Re-processing Plant into the Irish Sea; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The establishment of a baseline in relation to the OSPAR Strategy for radioactive substances covers radioactive discharges from all nuclear and non-nuclear sources into the marine environment, concentrations in the marine environment and resulting doses to members of the public. Broad agreement has already been reached by the Radioactive Substances Committee on the methodology for establishing a baseline, including the principle that it should use annual values averaged over a period of several years. I am confident that agreement can be reached at the forthcoming OSPAR meeting in Bremen on the spread of years this period should cover.

OSPAR

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom policies on radioactive discharges that will be put to the OSPAR ministerial meeting in Bremen; and if she will place in the Library copies of documents being submitted by the UK to the OSPAR meeting.

Elliot Morley: Radioactive substances is one of a number of issues being considered at the OSPAR Commission meeting in Bremen from 23 to 27 June. There will be a Ministerial session on 25 and 26 June.
	The meeting will consider the progress made in implementing the commitments agreed at the last ministerial meeting in 1998. All Contracting Parties have submitted national reports to the OSPAR Commission. The United Kingdom's report—the UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001–2002—was published in July 2002. Copies were placed in the Library at the time.

Agriculture Funding

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how she estimates British agriculture is likely to benefit through Pillar 2 funding in the next 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 23 June 2003
	Pillar 2 of the CAP is aimed at strengthening the agricultural and forestry sectors, improving the competitiveness of rural businesses and preserving the environment and rural heritage. Rural Development Programmes drawn up by EU member states set out how the Pillar 2 measures, as detailed in the EC Rural Development Regulation, will be implemented over the period 2000 to 2006.
	Copies of the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) and the separate programmes covering Wales and Scotland are in the Library, and they may also be viewed on the websites of the respective Departments. The programmes define the scope and objectives of a number of grant schemes, the expected benefits to the environment, the rural economy and rural communities which are expected to have been secured by the end of the Programmes, together with indicative financial budgets. In the 2003–04 financial year, the total budget allocated to the ERDP is approximately £255 million, of which almost £100 million is from the EU.
	The agricultural sector is the principal recipient of ERDP funding, but the benefits will accrue to rural communities as a whole; those benefits accruing to agriculture alone cannot be identified separately.

Recycling Targets

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list local authorities that are (a) failing to meet Government recycling targets, (b) expected to meet them and (c) exceeding them; and what estimate she has made of performance against targets for recycling in England in (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2004–05.

Elliot Morley: Local authority Statutory Performance Standards ('targets') for recycling and composting of household waste have been set for the years 2003–04 and 2005–06. Local authorities will submit performance data, against which the 2003–04 targets will be measured, to the Audit Commission in Summer 2004 and audited performance figures will be available towards the end of 2004.
	Targets for individual authorities are published on Defra's website at http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/management/guidance/mwms/10.htm.
	The most recent data on progress to targets are for 2001–02. According to those figures there is a big difference amongst authorities in their progress to their individual 2003–04 targets: 12 per cent. of authorities are already recycling at the individual target level, but 16 per cent. have over 15 per cent. to go.
	The intention to set targets for local authorities was set out in Waste Strategy 2000 and it is likely that many authorities have put, or are putting, schemes in place, the effects of which will not show up in data until 2002–03 or 2003–04.
	The Audit Commission will make audited performance figures for the year 2002–03 available later this year.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department over the last year.

Alun Michael: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.
	Information on the number of RIAs that have been reviewed in the last year is not held.
	From this year the National Audit Office (NAO) has a new role in independently evaluating a selection of RIAs. In their Annual Report, published in February 2003, the Better Regulation Task Force put forward suggestions of RIAs for the NAO to review.
	The NAO review will focus on the quality of analysis in the RIAs and the thoroughness with which the RIAs have been undertaken. The findings and recommendations of best practice will be fed back to departments. It will play a valuable part in driving up standards of RIAs.

Sewel Motions (Scottish Parliament)

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since May 1999 that apply to her Department's responsibilities and Government Bills she has sponsored.

Alun Michael: Since Defra came into being on 8 June 2001, the Department has sponsored one Bill that was the subject of a Sewel motion in the Scottish Parliament on the date indicated.
	Waste and Emissions Trading Bill (28 November 2002).
	MAFF sponsored
	Food Standards Bill (23 June 1999), which is now the responsibility of the Department of Health.
	Sea Fishing Grants (Charges ) Bill ( 8 December 1999).

Sickness Absence Targets

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of whether the sickness absence reduction target for 2002–03 in her Department will be met.

Alun Michael: Our target is based on the calendar year rather than the financial year. The Department is committed to the effective management of sickness absence, and to working towards its Service Delivery Agreement target of an average of 6.9 days per year, by 31 December 2003.
	Looking back to before the creation of Defra, available data show a reduction from 9.8 days in 1999 to nine days in 2000 and 7.4 days in 2001. The data for 2001 are not broken down to take into account the creation of Defra in June of that year. Figures for sickness absence in 2002 will be available, via the Cabinet Office, in July 2003.

Sunset Clauses

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation promoted by her Department unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause.

Alun Michael: The revised RIA guidance 'Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessments' was published on 28 January 2003. It advises policy officials to consider time limiting or sunsetting at an early stage of policy development and gives specific examples of where sunsetting may be appropriate.
	Defra actively promotes the better regulation agenda and the use of sunsetting where appropriate.

Waste Regulations

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the total cost since May 1997 including (a) employment on-costs and (b) legal advice commissioned by her Department in connection with action taken following contact received from the European Commission in respect of the UK's non-compliance with EU Directives and Regulation relating to waste.

Elliot Morley: Employment and legal costs associated with infraction proceedings are not separately identified in the Department's accounts and it would not be feasible to compile these costs from historical records. The requested information is not therefore available.

Waste Regulations

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the United Kingdom's performance was in 2002 against the recovery and recycling targets in the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what new recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste for 2003 have been set; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste set targets of 50 per cent. recovery, 25 per cent. recycling and 15 per cent. recycling of each specified material which had to be met by 2001.
	Provisional figures for the United Kingdom for 2002, which were made public on 16 May, suggested a 53.6 per cent. recovery and 47.5 per cent. recycling rate had been achieved. However, as noted then, some figures may have to be adjusted in light of a fact-finding mission to look at possible inappropriate issue of Packaging Waste Recovery Notes in 2002. In addition, as the Information Bulletin noted, the figure for the amount of wood flowing into the waste stream might have to be adjusted. Such changes will affect the final level of recovery and recycling.
	Targets for 2003 were set in October 2002 and remain as announced then, that is 59 per cent. for recovery and 19 per cent. material-specific recycling. We are preparing a consultation document on possible future targets for 2004 to 2008 and hope to publish this next month.

Windows

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research has been conducted by and for her Department on the environmental impact of (a) wood, (b) plastic and (c) other material used in windows; and if she will place copies of documents published in the Library.

Elliot Morley: A life-cycle assessment of PVC and a range of alternative materials was published by the then DETR in September 2000. It included an assessment of the environmental impact of a wooden window frame in comparison to a PVC frame. Comparisons with other materials were made for other common uses of PVC ie packaging, drain pipes and flooring material. A copy of the report was placed in the Library at that time and a summary document aimed at the non-specialist is available on the Defra website at (www.defraweb/environment/consult/pvc/index.htm

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Graduates (Earning Differences)

David Kidney: To ask the Minister for Women what recent assessment she has made of the differences in earnings between male and female graduates during their working lives and the reasons for such differences.

Patricia Hewitt: The table shows recent analysis of the differences in earnings between male and female graduates in the UK.
	
		Average annual earnings of graduates, 1999–2000
		
			 Age Men (£) Women (£) Percentage by which average male earnings exceeded those with females 
		
		
			 20 to 24 16,738 14,592 14.7 
			 25 to 29 23,302 20,154 15.6 
			 30 to 34 30,448 24,939 22.1 
			 35 to 39 36,948 27,774 33.2 
			 40 to 44 36,949 26,691 38.4 
			 45 to 49 36,696 26,113 40.5 
			 50 to 54 38,153 26,549 43.7 
			 All ages under 60 32,555 23,630 37.8 
		
	
	Source:
	Labour Force Survey, September 1999 to August 2000 (pooled data).
	This is a complex area and recent surveys offer various opinions for such differences. Relevant factors which contribute to an earnings gap between men and women at the early stages of their careers include the different career choices made by men and women and their different academic backgrounds and skills. The largest recent survey of final year under graduates indicates that women have systematically lower expectations than men of the salaries they will earn, both in their first posts and five years later.
	Earnings differentials widen with age. This can be explained to some extent by the differences in labour market participation rates, employment continuity records, longer hours worked by male than female full-time employees and women's greater likelihood of having worked part-time for some or all of their careers.

WALES

Departmental Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Ministers there were in the Welsh Office and Office of the Secretary of State for Wales in each year since 1996.

Peter Hain: The Welsh Office had one Secretary of State and two Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State from 1996 until its demise in 1999; since then the Wales Office has had one Secretary of State and one Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

Foot and Mouth

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the foot and mouth epidemic and 11 September on tourism into Wales.

Peter Hain: None; responsibility for tourism is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales. However, figures released by the Wales Tourist Board for the Easter holiday weekend 2003, suggests that with 78 per cent. of the businesses contacted in the survey fully occupied, Wales has had a successful start to the 2003 tourist season.

Sub Post Offices

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sub-post offices there were in Wales in (a) 1997 and (b) 2002.

Peter Hain: In 2002 there were 1,355 sub-post offices in Wales.
	No figures were collected for 1997.
	Source:Royal Mail Group PLC

Wales Office

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the estimated (a) administrative costs and (b) budget for the Wales Office are for 2003–04; and how these have changed following the changes set out in the Prime Minister's statement of 18 June.

Peter Hain: The Wales Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2003–04 is £11.055 billion, within which the running costs of the Wales Office amounts to £4.154 million.
	These figures have not changed since the 18 June statement.

Wales Office

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his London office address is.

Peter Hain: Gwydyr House, Whitehall, London SW1A 2ER.

Welsh Affairs

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of his time he expects to spend on Welsh affairs following his additional responsibility as Leader of the House.

Peter Hain: I intend to spend as much time as is necessary to fulfil my responsibilities as Secretary of State for Wales, including spending the same proportion of time in Wales as has been the case previously.

SCOTLAND

Health Service

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 
	(1)  how much has been paid by Scottish NHS trusts to English trusts for the treatment of patients in NHS hospitals in England, broken down by trust areas, in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many patients normally resident in Scotland have been treated in NHS hospitals in England, broken down by regional NHS trusts, in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 20 May 2003
	The information readily available is outlined in the table.
	The table shows the transfers since 1999–2000 to fund Scottish residents out of area treatment in English NHS hospitals. These transfers primarily relate to emergency admissions (for example, when a patient is on holiday) where no service level agreement exists in relation to a patient's treatment.
	
		Out of area transfers from Scottish health boards to English NHS trusts -- £
		
			 Health board 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Argyll and Clyde 729,513 618,678 495,338 424,812 446,496 
			 Ayrshire and Arran 764,038 585,990 682,494 489,166 514,135 
			 Borders 131,897 228,943 164,756 198,718 208,861 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 326,272 197,639 286,811 195,343 205,314 
			 Fife 705,143 577,732 573,035 382,915 402,460 
			 Forth Valley 400,443 296,704 417,482 255,692 268,744 
			 Grampian 797,133 1,127,993 960,777 593,643 623,944 
			 Greater Glasgow 1,414,425 1,394,629 1,104,867 836,195 878,878 
			 Highland 391,627 621,367 345,01 1 238,979 251,177 
			 Lanarkshire 649,313 636,880 714,627 411,806 432,214 
			 Lothian 1,463,307 1,503,903 1,289,186 744,715 782,728 
			 Orkney 25,423 21,078 33,982 66,005 69,375 
			 Shetland 35,389 86,195 19,933 15,998 16,815 
			 Tayside 806,135 889,940 625,825 423,813 445,446 
			 Western Isles 33,343 76,394 17,566 54,827 57,625 
			 Total 8,673,401 8,864,066 7,731,690 5,332,628 5,604,212 
		
	
	Note:
	The information relating to 2002–03 and 2003–04 are estimates based on previous costs, rather than actual figures.
	Information for the last five years on the number of episodes of admitted care for patients normally resident in Scotland treated in England, split by NHS trust in England, is available. Given the lengthy nature of this information, I have placed it in the House Library. This information relates to admissions to hospitals: treatment in accident and emergency clinics and outpatient attendances are not included.

Tax Credits

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when she last met the Paymaster General to discuss the implementation of the new system of tax credits.

Anne McGuire: My right hon. Friend and I have discussions, as the need arises, with the Paymaster General and our officials are in regular contact with the Inland Revenue to discuss implementation of the new Tax Credits.

Tax Credits

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment she has made of the number of tax credit claims outstanding in Scotland.

Anne McGuire: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General's remarks during the debate in Westminster Hall on 4 June 2003, Official Report, columns 120–22WH. No breakdown of the figures that my right hon. Friend gave is available below UK level.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

11-Year-olds

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 11-year-olds reached the level expected of their age in English in each year since 2000 in the Bury St. Edmunds constituency.

David Miliband: The table shows the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 English tests in maintained schools in the Bury St. Edmunds constituency between 2000 and 2002:
	
		
			  Bury St. Edmunds England 
		
		
			 2000 79 75 
			 2001 79 75 
			 2002 77 75

A-Levels

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 19 May 2003, Official Report, column 550W, on A-levels, whether he has set a date for publishing the Memorandum of Understanding.

David Miliband: The Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and QCA was published on QCA's website on 19 June. I placed a copy in the Library on 18 June.

Area Child Protection Committees

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to put Area Child Protection Committees on a statutory footing.

David Miliband: The Joint Chief Inspectors' report, "Safeguarding Children", published in October 2002, recommends that the Department of Health should review the current arrangements for Area Child Protection Committees. The substantive response to the Joint Chief Inspectors' report, together with that to the Victoria Climbie Inquiry report, will be published as part of the Green Paper on Children at Risk.

Arson

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many malicious fires relating to maintained school premises there have been in each year since 1997 (a) by LEA and (b) as a proportion of all maintained schools across England and Wales.

David Miliband: The Department does not collect these figures.

Breakfast Clubs

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding is available to schools to provide breakfast clubs for children in poor socio-economic areas.

David Miliband: Breakfast clubs are available in a number of schools as part of study support or childcare provision, and will form an important element in our extended schools programme. They promote healthy eating, can offer learning opportunities, and help working parents by providing a safe environment for their children.
	My Department assists breakfast clubs through the Standards Fund grant for study support (out-of-school-hours learning). This amounts to £75 million this year, including a 'top up' element going to Excellence in Cities areas. Our new Sure Start Out of School Programme will also be available from August to fund new childcare places, including breakfast provision. We have announced plans to provide over 63 million in the next three years to create 96,000 new out of school places. Nearly half of these places would be in disadvantaged areas where funding would be available for up to three years.
	In addition breakfast clubs can be supported through the National Healthy Schools Standard, the New Opportunities Fund, voluntary organisations and commercial sponsorship, such the scheme run by Education Extra and sponsored by Kellogg. In disadvantaged areas, regeneration and neighbourhood renewal funding may be available. Schools can also fund breakfast clubs from other programmes or from their own budgets.

Car Parking (Schools)

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost per space of providing car parking places within school grounds.

David Miliband: The Department does not publish any official guide costs for parking places, but it is estimated that the cost per space is currently in the range £2,000–£4,000 per place depending on the layout of the car park and ground conditions.

Classrooms

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the cost of constructing standard classrooms of 50 square metres.

David Miliband: A single standalone classroom of traditional construction of 50 square metres including fitting out and design fees could be in the range £80,000–£90,000 at current costs. The cost will vary according to geographical region.

Criminal Records Bureau

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost of an individual Criminal Records Bureau check incurred by schools has been.

David Miliband: The cost of a CRB check falls to individuals: schools which decide to pay their fee are expected to meet this cost from within their existing budgets. The fee for both Standard and Enhanced Disclosures is currently 12. Disclosures for volunteers are free of charge. From 1 July Standard Disclosures will cost £24 and Enhanced Disclosures £29. Disclosures for volunteers will remain free of charge.

Drugs (Schools)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what plans he has to introduce random drug testing in schools; and what assessment has been made of levels of drug taking in schools, and its effects;
	(2)  what punishment may be given to pupils found to have (a) dealt drugs and (b) taken drugs on school premises; and if he will make a statement on measures taken since 1997 to reduce drug abuse in schools;
	(3)  what lessons on the dangers of drugs and drug taking are given to school pupils as a part of the curriculum; and what assessment he has made of the value this form of information.

David Miliband: Drug education should be a part of every school's curriculum. There is a statutory requirement for drug education in the National Curriculum Science Order. Pupils should be taught about the role of drugs as medicines; the effects on the human body of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, and how these relate to their personal health and how the abuse of alcohol, solvents, tobacco and other drugs affects health. This represents the statutory minimum. Schools are expected to use the non-statutory frameworks for PSHE and Citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, PSHE at key stages 3 and 4 and the Citizenship programme of study at key stages 3 and 4 as the context for developing drug education. We believe drug education in schools has an essential role to play in enabling pupils to develop their knowledge, skills, attitudes and understanding about drugs.
	Since 1997, we have taken a range of measures to tackle drug misuse in schools. We have allocated over £68 million to support drug alcohol and tobacco education and prevention in schools, including £17.5 million this year. From April 2001, we have supported the appointment of Schools Drug Advisors to help them deliver drug education and support tailored to the needs of pupils. We have supported the development of training packages to support professionals deliver effective drug education. We are also supporting a national five year research programme called "Blueprint" to test the effectiveness of drug education initiatives in schools. It will make a significant contribution to developing a UK evidence based for drug, alcohol and tobacco education.
	It is for schools in full consultation with local partners, including the police, to decide on appropriate strategies, including drug testing, for detecting illegal drug possession or use by pupils. Where schools adopt such strategies they should make sure, in advance, that they have clear evidence of consent. We have offered guidance on this issue in the draft document "Drugs: Guidance for schools (April 2003)". The Department of Health conducts regular surveys on the level of drug taking among young people. Data on the levels of drug taking in schools is not collected separately. The adverse effects of drug taking among young people are well documented and are highlighted in the Government's "Updated Drug Strategy 2002".
	Schools should develop a range of options for responding to the identified needs of those involved in a drug incident. These could range from early intervention work with pupils through to fixed period and permanent exclusions. The response should always be appropriate to the seriousness of the incident, the needs of the pupil, other pupils, the school and the community and be consistent with school rules. Responses to drug use and sanctions should be contained in the school's drug policy and be developed through wide consultation with members of the school community.

Early Literacy Programme

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 1022W, when he will place in the Library a copy of the Go Karts video of the Early Literacy Support programme.

Stephen Twigg: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 1022W. I have also sent the hon. Member a copy of the video.

Higher Education

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the annual cost of the proposed Office of Fair Access.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 17 June 2003
	This matter will be addressed in the explanatory notes which will be published when legislative proposals are presented to the House. We have proposed, in "Widening Participation in Higher Education" that OFFA will be separate from but supported by HEFCE.

Higher Education

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the revenue to be raised from tuition fees and top-up fees, between 2003 and 2010, (a) in gross terms and (b) net of assistance given to students from low income backgrounds, on the assumption that all universities charge the maximum top-up fees allowed each year.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 17 June 2003
	No such assessment has been made: it will be for universities to decide what level of fees they set from 2006/07 onwards, subject to a maximum fee of £3,000; and they will also decide what level of bursaries to offer, as required by their Access Agreements, which will require approval by the Office of Fair Access before they can raise their fees. The table sets out estimates of fee income per year using the following fixed data and assumptions: a standard tuition fee of £1,125; a maximum tuition fee of £3,000; estimated numbers of students; estimated grant for fee remission of £416 million. All figures are for students at English HE Institutions for 2003/04. The grant has been netted off against the standard fee income.
	
		
			 Fee income (1)Gross(£ million) (2)Net of fee remission(£ million) 
		
		
			 From standard fee 847 431 
			 Income if maximum fee charged 2,259 1,843 
			 Additional from maximum fee 1,412 1,412 
		
	
	(1) Represents fee income to universities from the standard fee of £1,125, not including full time post graduates (apart from PGCE students).
	(2) Net of fee remission of £416 million (for undergraduate and Initial Teacher Training students at English HEIs). The new HE grant to be introduced in 2004/05 (£300 million for England and Wales) has not been netted off, and neither has spend on bursaries offered by universities under their access agreements.

Higher Education

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his answer of 3 June 2003, Official Report, column 215W, when he plans to publish the Regulatory Impact Assessment; what plans he has to consult the business and public sectors on its contents; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: The Regulatory Impact Assessment of the higher education white paper is due to be published in the summer.
	Officials in my department are consulting with Cabinet Office colleagues, the Inland Revenue, and the higher education Better Regulation Review Group to assess the costs and benefits of the proposals in more detail.

Local Education Authorities

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the local education authorities that have not passported 100 per cent. of allocated resources to schools for 2003–04 and have failed to give him an explanation for withholding resources that he deems adequate.

David Miliband: In the analysis of local education authorities' (LEA) budget returns, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published on 2 May 2003, 19 LEAs were shown as failing to pass on, or passport, the full increase in their schools formula spending share to their schools budgets. The non-passporting LEAs set out their reasons for not doing so in their responses to my Department's letter to them of 2 May 2003. My Department is in discussion with a number of LEAs about the passporting situation.
	I have made clear that I expect LEAs that are not passporting this year to make every effort to passport in full next year and over the three years 2003–04 to 2005–06 taken together.

Nannies

Julia Drown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will create a register of people unsuitable to work as nannies;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to give statutory backing to the draft Code of Practice for Nanny Agencies.

Margaret Hodge: There are no current plans to introduce a registration scheme for nannies or to give statutory backing to a code of practice for nanny agencies. However, my noble friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Sure Start, has received a number of proposals and representations on this issue. We are in the process of assessing the best way in which the extension to the Home Child Carers' Scheme can be managed. The extension will increase the regulated childcare available within people's homes which is eligible for tax credits. The study will look at how we can achieve this and who will provide the care once the scheme is widened.

Public Service Agreements

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Minister for Higher Education will be introducing new Public Service Agreements.

Alan Johnson: We have no plans to set any new Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets before the next spending review. The PSA targets which the Department for Education and Skills will be taking over with its new, additional responsibilities for children and families will be published on its website in due course.

Pupil Referral Units

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many SEN registered children there were within pupil referral units in each LEA in each year since 1997.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

School Budgets (Leicestershire)

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether schools in Leicestershire that use money from building budgets to maintain teachers in post will be required to repay that money.

David Miliband: holding answer 23 June 2003
	On 15 May, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced that in response to exceptional pressures this year on some school budgets he has decided to help schools manage their budgets by allowing them, in discussion with their local education authorities (LEAs), to use their devolved capital funding to support their day-to-day running costs. This is to be for this year only and must be a decision taken by the school with the agreement of the LEA.
	If schools decide that they wish to take advantage of this flexibility they will not be required to repay any of the funding. However, as the guidance issued by my Department to LEAs on 16 May to enable them immediately to discuss locally where this capital flexibility can be used makes clear, any school which seeks to use this flexibility would irrevocably forego their capital allocation. They would, therefore, lose the benefits over the longer term of the capital investment in their school buildings to pupil standards. This flexibility has an opportunity cost, and should only be used where failure to do so would lead to excessive instability within the school. We did not intend to increase the total funding available to any school.
	My Department is working with representatives of local government and schools to consider what changes to the schools funding system are needed from 2004–05 to ensure that every school receives a reasonable per pupil settlement next year.

School Playing Fields

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what area of school playing field space was available in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997; and what area of school playing field space was lost in (i) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (ii) Shropshire in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many school playing fields there were in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997;
	(3)  which schools in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire have lost school playing field space in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how much was raised from the sale of school playing field space from schools in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire in each year since 1997.

Stephen Twigg: There are no central records that show (i) the area of school playing field space that was available or (ii) how many school playing fields there were in either (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham or (b) Shropshire in any particular year.
	Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 was introduced in October 1998 to stop the indiscriminate selling of school playing fields that had occurred in the 1980s and early to mid 1990s. Before then, there were no central records of how many playing fields had been lost. Local authorities and schools now need the Secretary of State's consent before they can sell any part of a school's playing field. Applications to sell school playing fields are only approved where it is clear that they meet published criteria and, in particular, that any proceeds will be used to improve school sports provision or education facilities.
	Since October 1998 we have approved only one application in Shropshire that resulted in the net loss of school playing field that was capable of forming at least a small sports pitch. In October 2001 the Secretary of State gave consent to the sale of the surplus lower school site at the Grove School in Market Drayton to help the School to amalgamate onto its main site. The sale of this site raised approximately £1,000,000 which contributed towards the cost of providing a brand new building on the School's main site.
	We have not approved any applications where there would be a net loss of sports pitches in Shrewsbury and Atcham.

Schools (Extensions)

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage on-cost is allowed in his Department's calculations for school extensions for (a) architects and (b) other administration and consultation fees.

David Miliband: The Department does not set fixed levels for architects and other administration and consultation fees. For grant aided projects, we would expect overall fee levels to fall within the range 13–15 per cent. of the building cost, although this would be dependent on the size and complexity of the project.

Schools Curricula

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will assess the effectiveness of (a) competence-led curricula and (b) separate-subject curricula.

David Miliband: It is important that children learn a range of skills as well as covering a broad and rich curriculum in terms of content. But these two things are complementary and not in competition. Our primary strategy sets out how we will be developing a framework for learning and teaching which will focus on skills development across the whole curriculum. Our forthcoming skills strategy will set out proposals for ensuring that generic skills are developed throughout the education system. It is also important to remember that schools can choose how they teach the National Curriculum, including whether to do it in separate subject lessons or not. They can choose to focus on learning skills without abandoning the breadth and richness of content that is guaranteed by the National Curriculum.

Schools Procurement

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will publish the risk assessment of the procurement process for new schools introduced by Building Schools for the Future.

David Miliband: The Department is currently developing the commercial propositions involved in the Building Schools for the Future programme. Risk assessments have been undertaken in accordance with OGC best practice guidance. As is customary in such cases, the risk assessments are treated as commercial in confidence as the Department's position in subsequent negotiations with prospective partners would be seriously weakened by their release.

Sex Education

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many schools in England make forms of contraception available to pupils; what counselling is given; and what plans he has to abolish the practice of making contraception available;
	(2)  what consultation takes place with parents of school children before deciding whether their schools will be allowed to make forms of contraception available to pupils;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of easy access to contraception in schools on sexual promiscuity in underage teenagers; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Twigg: The Department of Health is currently collecting data on the number of local authorities in which schools are providing, or planning to provide, an on-site service which includes contraceptive advice. The data will be available at the end of June. We welcome the provision of school based health services where the school identifies a need. The decision to provide such services, and the range of the service, is for governing bodies in consultations with pupils, parents and the wider community. Guidance to schools states that trained staff in secondary schools should be able to give young people full information about different types of contraception, their effectiveness and where advice and treatment can be obtained. This should be made clear in the school's sex and relationship education policy which is discussed with parents.
	Contraception, including emergency contraception, is provided to young people under aged 16 only under medical supervision. This includes the supply by health professionals such as school nurses and community pharmacists. Health professionals can provide contraception to young people under 16 if they are satisfied that the young person is competent to understand fully the implications of any treatment and to make a choice of the treatment involved. Health professionals work within an established legal framework which involves assessing the young person's competence to understand the choices they are making and encouraging them to talk to their parents. All professionals are bound by their professional code of confidentiality. A young person's request for confidentiality is respected unless there are serious child protection issues.
	There is no evidence that access to contraception increases rates of sexual activity among young people under 16. Over the 1990s while the national figure for under 16s attendance at family planning clinics in England increased, the proportion of young people having sex before 16 remained stable. (Wellings, K. et al (2001) Sexual Behaviour in Britain: Early Heterosexual Experience. Lancet, 358: 1843–50)

Specialist Schools

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 784W, on specialist status schools, if he will make a statement on the statistical significance of an added value measure of (a) +1 percentage point for specialist sports colleges and (b) -1.5 percentage points compared with all non-selective, non specialist schools and non-selective sports colleges.

David Miliband: This difference is statistically significant.

Student Drop-Outs

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action is taken in the event of a student dropping out from a course of higher education (a) during and (b) at the end of an academic year to recover costs for the institution involved in respect of (i) uncollected private tuition fees and (ii) transfers from the Higher Education Funding Council in respect of the education of that student.

Alan Johnson: Guidance issued by Universities UK (UUK) and the Standing Conference of Principals (SCOP) in July 2002 recommends that where a student withdraws from a course during an academic year, the institution should charge the student a reduced fee contribution fixed in proportion to the number of weeks that the student attended. In particular, the total fee contribution due for the year is divided by 30 and multiplied by the number of weeks the student spent at the institution. Students who complete a full year would be liable for the full fee. Higher education institutions are responsible for pursuing any uncollected tuition fees.
	The Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) teaching funding method provides funding for students who complete their year of study. Students who do not complete the year of study are not fundable.

Student Drop-Outs

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students in each subject area dropped out after (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years and (d) before the completion of their course in the last year for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The table shows the number of trainees who dropped out of undergraduate and postgraduate courses of initial teacher training at institutions in England in their first or final year in 2000/01, the latest year for which data are available. Data on wastage in other years of teacher training are not collected.
	
		
			  Undergraduate Postgraduate(4) 
			  First Year Final Year First Year Final Year 
			 2000/01 Number Percentage(5) Number Percentage(6) Number Percentage(5) Number Percentage(6),(7) 
		
		
			 Primary 405 6.0 16 0.3 353 5.5 2 1.3 
			 Maths 13 9.0 2 1.3 106 9.7 6 6.5 
			 English and Drama 8 10.1  0.0 152 7.8 1 5.9 
			 Science 7 4.5 1 0.5 201 9.3 5 6.8 
			 Modern Languages 3 18.8 2 6.1 155 9.5  0.0 
			 Technology(7) 14 4.1 4 1.1 109 8.2  0.0 
			 History— 65 7.4   
			 Geography  0.0  0.0 63 7.3  — 
			 PE 24 4.1 1 0.1 18 2.9  — 
			 Art  0.0 1 7.1 57 7.1  0.0 
			 Music 1 3.8  0.0 30 5.8  0.0 
			 RE  0.0  0.0 40 7.6  0.0 
			 Other(8)  —  — 31 9.3   
			 Total secondary 70 5.1 11 0.7 1,027 8.1  3.8 
			 All 475 5.8 27 0.4 1,380 7.2 14 3.0 
		
	
	Note:
	— no one training in subject
	(3) 95 per cent. of entrants to PG courses in 2000/01 were on a 1 year course
	(4) As a proportion of those entering ITT
	(5) As a proportion of those entering final year of course
	(6) Those on PGCE courses which are more than one year in duration
	(7) Technology includes Design and Technology, Information Technology, and Business Studies and Home Economics
	(8) Other includes Social Studies, Economics, and Classics
	Source:
	TTA Peformance Profiles 2002

Student Drop-Outs

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he collates on the relationship between prior academic attainments and the drop-out rate of students.

Alan Johnson: A number of research studies have explored the factors associated with dropping out of higher education. These include: Improving student achievement in the English higher education sector HC 486, Parliamentary Session 2001/02;
	"Dropping Out: A study of early leavers from Higher Education" (2003) Rhys Davies and Peter Elias, DfES Research Report 386; and Smith J. and R. A. Naylor, "Dropping out of University: a statistical analysis of the probability of withdrawal for UK university students", Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, 2001, vol. 164, pp. 389–405.
	Several of these have investigated the effect of prior attainment and found that students with lower prior attainment are where they do not receive appropriate support are less likely to complete their higher education course. However, the evidence also shows that non-completion is a complex process that cannot normally be explained by any single factor. Other important factors (many of which are inter-related) include:
	incompatibility between the student and their course or institution;
	lack of preparation for higher education;
	lack of commitment to the course;
	financial hardship;
	poor academic progress;
	health or other personal reasons;
	age;
	gender; and
	whether or not the individual applied through clearing.

Student Drop-Outs

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action his Department is taking in conjunction with higher education institutions to reduce student dropout rates.

Alan Johnson: In spite of a considerable expansion of student numbers, the UK non-completion rate has stayed broadly the same at 17–18 per cent. since 1991–92, representing one of the highest completion rates in the world. We are determined to maintain that performance as we increase participation towards 50 per cent. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has allocated £265 million to higher education institutions in 2003–04 for widening access and improving retention. This figure recognises the additional costs of supporting students from non-traditional backgrounds.
	Research indicates that there is no single cause of non-completion. However, students making the wrong initial choice of course or institution is a major factor. Under our plans set out in The Future of Higher Education' (Cm 5735), more information will be available about institutions and their performance to assist prospective students. We are also working with HEFCE to develop an electronic portal to give faster access to all available information. In addition, HEFCE is working with institutions to improve retention rates, and to disseminate good practice.

Student Drop-Outs

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the student percentage drop-out rates were for each academic year since 1992/93.

Alan Johnson: Since 1996/97, information on non-completion rates has been published annually by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in "Performance Indicators in Higher Education". The latest figures giving overall non-completion rates for students starting full-time first degree courses in the UK are as follows:
	
		Percentage
		
			 Students starting courses in: Non-completion rate 
		
		
			 1999/00 17 
			 1998/99 17 
			 1997/98 17 
			 1996/97 18 
		
	
	Non-completion rates for earlier years were calculated and published by the Department and are shown in the following table. These figures also cover students on full-time first degree courses but the methodology and institutional coverage used by the Department was different to that used by HEFCE, so the two sets of figures are not directly comparable.
	
		Percentage
		
			 Students starting courses in: Non completion rate: 
		
		
			 1995/96(9) 18–19 
			 1994/95(9) 17–18 
			 1993/94(9) 17–18 
			 1992/93 17 
		
	
	(9) A range is given for these years because the introduction of a new data source in 1994/95 made it difficult to measure non-completion, as it was then calculated, accurately.
	Figures published in 2002 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the UK as a whole has one of the lowest non-completion rates among OECD countries.

Students (Non-academic Work)

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the frequency distribution of non-academic term-time work carried out by students enrolled on full-time courses.

Alan Johnson: The Department does not have up-to-date and reliable information on the frequency distribution of paid term-time work undertaken by full-time students and does not have any information on the proportion of work that is non-academic. However, findings from the 1998/99 Student Income and Expenditure Survey (SIES) show that more than 50 per cent. of full-time students do not undertake paid term-time employment and of those that do work, over half work 10 hours or less a week only.

Student Loans

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many former students have had their student loan liabilities cancelled owing to bankruptcy.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 19 June 2003
	No loans have been written off since Margaret Hodge's written statement to Parliament on bankruptcy and student loans, made on 15 May. The Student Loans Company (SLC) are now taking this forward.
	The SLC have identified 633 bankrupt borrowers, with a total of £2.4 million in outstanding loan balances to be written off. Against a customer base of 2.4 million and a total loan book of £10 billion, the proportion of affected borrowers is very small.

Teacher Education

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to put mechanisms in place to support advanced skills teachers who specialise in teacher education.

David Miliband: In 2002–03 the DfES funded ASTs to work in Initial Teacher Training in the context of the Teacher Training Agency-led partnerships project, which was designed to encourage providers of initial teacher training, schools and LEAs to work together to improve provision. As funding at 100 per cent. grant rate would last for only a year we encouraged LEAs to absorb the ASTs recruited in support of the scheme into their cadre of ASTs once the year was up. In order to facilitate this we included sufficient funding in the allocation of the AST match funded Standards Fund grant for 2003–04 to enable each LEA to continue to fund posts previously funded at the 100 per cent. grant rate.

Teachers

Keith Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers were employed in England in the last 10 years; and how many were made redundant in each of these years.

David Miliband: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent teachers in the maintained schools sector in England in each of the years shown. Definitive information on teacher redundancies is not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Regular teachers 
		
		
			 2003 423,900 
			 2002 419,600 
			 2001 410,200 
			 2000 404,600 
			 1999 401,200 
			 1998 397,700 
			 1997 399,200 
			 1996 399,800 
			 1995 399,600 
			 1994 397,000 
		
	
	Source
	DfES annual 618G survey

Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to allow graduates to teach in UK schools without (a) teacher training and (b) qualified teacher status.

David Miliband: Regulations to be made shortly under section 133 of the Education Act 2002 will define the circumstances under which staff without Qualified Teacher Status can undertake specified work in schools in England. These provisions have already been the subject of extensive consultation with teachers' employers, the teaching unions and other interested parties.

Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will define qualified teacher status and instructor status for people wishing to teach in schools in England and Wales.

David Miliband: The definition of a qualified teacher is set out in the Education (Teachers' Qualifications and Health Standards) (England) Regulations 1999. Instructors are teachers without QTS but with special qualifications or experience, or both, who can be employed when there are no suitably qualified teachers available.

Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many graduates were teaching in English schools without qualified teacher status in each year since 1997–98.

David Miliband: The table shows the number of new entrants to the Graduate Teacher Programme and the Overseas-Trained Teacher Programme in each academic year since 1997/98. The rising numbers reflect the growth and success of these programmes, which allow graduates to be employed as teachers in schools in England while working towards Qualified Teacher Status. Information on the qualifications held by other categories of unqualified teachers is not collected centrally.
	
		New entrants to the Graduate Teacher Programme
		
			  1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03(10) 
		
		
			 GTP(11) 81 193 365 1,507 3,216 3,750 
			 OTTP(12) 0 0 0 249 921 821 
			 Total 81 193 365 1,756 137 4,571 
		
	
	Notes:
	(10) Figures to date.
	(11) Graduate Teacher Programme, introduced from January 1998
	(12) Overseas-Trained Teacher Programme, introduced from April 2001.
	Source:
	Teacher Training Agency

Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what additional resources he has made available to local education authorities to prevent the loss of (a) teaching and (b) non-teaching staff as a result of this year's budget settlement to schools.

David Miliband: The funding of schools is a shared responsibility of central and local Government. In 2003–04, there have been a number of very significant pressures on LEA and school spending. Nationally, the additional resources provided for education more than match those pressures. However, changes to the distribution formula for Education Formula Spending, together with the ending of a substantial body of ring-fenced grants from my Department's Standards Fund, have meant that different LEAs and schools have received a wide range of year-on-year increases in overall support for education.
	The Department has taken steps through an additional grant of £28 million to ensure that all LEAs have at least a minimum increase of 3.2 per cent. per pupil, in addition to taking account of the effect of the Standards Fund and teachers' pension changes. We have also provided a special grant costing £11 million to 18 London LEAs to help them fund this year's increases in London weighting. In addition, LEAs and schools will be given the additional flexibility to use their devolved formula capital funding from the Department to support revenue expenditure. The decision to use a school's capital funding in this way will need to be made jointly by the school and its LEA, and should be taken only in those circumstances where failure to do so would lead to excessive instability within that school.

Teachers

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average salary of a teacher in (a) Blackpool and (b) Lancashire was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

David Miliband: The table provides the average salary of full-time 1 regular qualified teachers in the maintained schools sector, as at March of each year shown. The figures shown for former Lancashire for 1999 and 2001 are based on the boundaries prior to local government reorganisation in April 1998. In April 1998, due to local government reorganisation, Lancashire split into three separate local education authorities, Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool. The figures shown for former Lancashire for 1999 and 2001 are based on the boundaries prior to local government reorganisation.
	1 Figures cover all grades and include any allowances paid. The average salary figures include some threshold payments that were made before March 2001, following the introduction of the threshold in September 2000. Some threshold assessments were not made in time for the associated payments to be reflected in the March 2001 data, but these were ultimately backdated to September 2000. As a result the figures in the table will be an under estimate of the actual average salary in March 2001.
	
		£
		
			  1997 1999 2001(13),(14) 
		
		
			 Former Lancashire 22,690 24,220 27,140 
			 Current Lancashire — 24,260 27,330 
			 Blackpool — 23,800 26,670 
		
	
	(13) 2001 is the most recent information available.
	(14) Provisional figures based on pensions data that will be updated. Significant changes are not expected.
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	Database of Teacher Records

Truancy

Linda Perham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has given to local education authorities on truancy reduction initiatives.

Ivan Lewis: In addition to the examples of good practice in this area highlighted on our school attendance website www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolattendance we have within the last year disseminated guidance on the effective operation of truancy sweeps and issued advice on initiatives to meet specific truancy targets to the 61 areas involved in the Behaviour Improvement Programme. We are also providing expert advice and guidance in reducing truancy to 56 local education authorities with relatively high truancy rates.
	This month we are issuing guidance on the legal measures available to secure regular school attendance to local education authorities, schools and magistrates to promote more effective handling of truancy cases. This guidance has been produced jointly with a wide range of partners including the former Lord Chancellor's Department, the Magistrates' Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers.
	In the autumn we will be producing updated school attendance guidance for schools and local education authorities as part of a package of training materials designed to help improve behaviour and attendance.

Tuition Fees

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students in (a) Suffolk, (b) Norfolk, (c) Essex, (d) Cambridgeshire and (e) the Bury St. Edmunds constituency are exempt from tuition fees.

Alan Johnson: Student support data on the numbers of students contributing to tuition are collected from local education authorities (LEAs) through a voluntary survey. However, the data are only robust enough to be published at the national level. My Department does not collect student support data at the constituency level.

University Admissions

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations he has received regarding (a) socio-economic diversity in university admissions and (b) the setting of Government targets on socio-economic diversity in university admissions.

Alan Johnson: The Department receives many representations on Higher Education, including matters relating to university admissions. The Government have set out their views on targets in this area in "Widening Participation in Higher Education" available in the Library and on the Department for Education and Skills' website at www.dfes.gov.uk/highereducation.

PRIME MINISTER

Care Standards Act

Paul Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister is the appointed Minister under section 23 of the Care Standards Act 2000 in respect of children.

Tony Blair: The Minister for Children is the appointed Minister.

Children's Trusts

Paul Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister which department will be responsible for the implementation of Children's Trusts.

Tony Blair: Children's Trusts will bring together education, social care and some health services for children. The policy will continue to be a joint responsibility of the Department of Health and Department for Education and Skills to ensure the full involvement of all three services.

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Prime Minister how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Office in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 or over.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office gave to him on 24 June 2003.

Devolution

Jim Cousins: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister will answer for issues relating to the overall devolution settlement in the Commons.

Tony Blair: My hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie), Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs, will answer in the House of Commons for issues relating to the overall devolution settlement.

Engagements

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 25 June.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) at Prime Minister's Questions today.

Euro Roadshow

Howard Flight: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the events he plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow.

Tony Blair: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave to the right. hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 20 June 2003, Official Report, columns 458W–59W.

Government Reorganisation

John Redwood: To ask the Prime Minister what his estimate is of the total costs of the reorganisation of Government announced on 18 June, assuming all items are implemented as proposed.

Tony Blair: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to him during my statement on Changes to Government Departments on 18 June 2003, Official Report, column 369.

Justices of the Peace (Manchester)

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Prime Minister which Ministry in which Department is responsible for Justices of the Peace in Greater Manchester.

Tony Blair: The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for the appointment of Justices of the Peace in Greater Manchester.

Lord Chancellor

Oliver Heald: To ask the Prime Minister whether the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is barred from returning to legal practice on leaving office due to his holding the office of Lord Chancellor; and if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which a former Lord Chancellor may return to legal practice.

Tony Blair: As the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs holds the office of Lord Chancellor for the transitional period, then the convention by which former Lord Chancellors cannot resume legal practice will apply to my right hon. and noble Friend. The rules, set out in the Ministerial Code, relating to the acceptance of appointments after leaving ministerial office, also apply.

Referendums

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those referendums (a) which have taken place and (b) which have been pledged since May 1997; if he will list (i) the votes in favour and (ii) the votes against, and calculate those figures as a percentage of eligible votes; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards identifying criteria for holding referenda.

Tony Blair: The list of referendums and associated statistics requested are contained in the following tables.
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his statement, Economic and Monetary Union, in this House on 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 415, that the Government propose to publish a draft referendum Bill this autumn.
	The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) provides the generic statutory framework for the conduct of referendums in the United Kingdom, or a referendum held in Scotland, Wales, England or Northern Ireland, but there are no criteria for determining when it is appropriate to hold a referendum on a particular issue.
	
		National and regional referendums since 1997
		
			 Year Referendum area Referendum Result 
		
		
			 1998 Northern Ireland Do you support the agreement reached at the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland and set out in Command Paper 3883? Yes 676,966 (71.1%) 
			No 274,879 (29.9%) 
			Turnout 81% 
			 
			 1998 London Are you in favour of the Government's proposals for a Greater London Authority, made up of an elected mayor and a separately elected assembly? Yes 1,230,715 (72%)No 478,413 (28%)Turnout 34.1% 
			 
			 1997 Wales 1. I agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly; or Yes 559,419 (50.3%) 
			   2. I do not agree that there should be a Welsh Assembly No 552,698 (49.7%) 
			Turnout 50.1% 
			 
			 1997 Scotland 1. I agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament; or 1,775,045 (74.3%) 
			   2. I do not agree there should be a Scottish Parliament; 614,400(25.7%) 
			   1. I agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers; or 1,512,889 (63.5%) 
			   2. I do not agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers 870,263 (36.5%) 
			Turnout 60.4% 
		
	
	
		Mayoral referendums since 1997
		
			 Date Council Result 
		
		
			 7 June 2001 Berwick-upon-Tweed Yes 3,61 7 (26%)  
			   No 10,212 (74%) 
			   Turnout 64% 
			
			 28 June 2001 Cheltenham Yes 8,083 (33%)  
			   No 16,602 (67%) 
			   Turnout 32% 
			
			 28 June 2001 Gloucester Yes 7,731 (32%)  
			   No 16,317 (68%) 
			   Turnout 31% 
			
			 12 July 2001 Watford Yes 7,636 (52%)  
			   No 7,140 (48%) 
			   Turnout 25% 
			
			 20 September 2001 Doncaster Yes 35,453 (65%)  
			   No 19,398 (35%) 
			   Turnout 25% 
			
			 4 October 2001 Kirklees Yes 10,169 (27%)  
			   No 27,977 (73%) 
			   Turnout 13% 
			
			 11 October 2001 Sunderland Yes 9,375 (43%)  
			   No 12,209 (57%) 
			   Turnout 10% 
			
			 18 October 2001 Brighton & Hove Yes 22,724 (38%)  
			   No 37,214 (62%) 
			   Turnout 32% 
			
			 18 October 2001 Hartlepool Yes 10,667 (51%)  
			   No 10,294 (49%) 
			   Turnout 34% 
			
			 18 October 2001 Lewisham Yes 16,822 (51%)  
			   No 15,914 (49%) 
			   Turnout 18% 
			
			 18 October 2001 Middlesbrough Yes 29,067 (84%)  
			   No 5,422 (16%) 
			   Turnout 34% 
			
			 18 October 2001 North Tyneside Yes 30,262 (58%)  
			   No 22,296 (42%) 
			   Turnout 36% 
			 18 October 2001 Sedgefield Yes 10,628 (47%)  
			   No 11,869 (53%) 
			   Turnout 33% 
			
			 8 November 2001 Redditch Yes 7,250 (44%)  
			   No 9,198 (56%) 
			   Turnout 28% 
			
			 20 November 2001 Durham (City) Yes 8,327 (41%)  
			   No 11,974 (59%) 
			   Turnout 29% 
			
			 6 December 2001 Harrow Yes 17,502 (43%)  
			   No 23,554 (57%) 
			   Turnout 26% 
			
			 24 January 2002 Plymouth Yes 29,559(41%)  
			   No 42,811 (59%) 
			   Turnout 40% 
			
			 24 January 2002 Harlow Yes 5,296 (25%)  
			   No 15,490 (75%) 
			   Turnout 35% 
			
			 31 January 2002 Newham Yes 27,263 (68%)  
			   No 12,687 (32%) 
			   Turnout 26% 
			
			 31 January 2002 Southwark Yes 6,054 (31%)  
			   No 13,217 (69%) 
			   Turnout 11% 
			
			 31 January 2002 West Devon Yes 3,555 (23%)  
			   No 12,190 (77%) 
			   Turnout 42% 
			
			 31 January 2002 Shepway Yes 11,357 (44%)  
			   No 14,438 (56%) 
			   Turnout 36% 
			
			 21 February 2002 Bedford Yes 11,316 (67%)  
			   No 5,537 (33%) 
			   Turnout 16% 
			
			 2 May 2002 Hackney Yes 24,697 (59%)  
			   No 10,547 (41%) 
			   Turnout 32% 
			 2 May 2002 Mansfield Yes 8,973 (55%)  
			   No 7,350 (45%) 
			   Turnout 21% 
			
			 2 May 2002 Newcastle-under-Lyme Yes 12,912(44%)  
			   No 16,468 (56%) 
			   Turnout 31. 5% 
			
			 2 May 2002 Oxford Yes 14,692 (44%)  
			   No 18,686(56%) 
			   Turnout 34% 
			
			 2 May 2002 Stoke on Trent Yes 28,601 (58%)  
			   No 20,578 (42%) 
			   Turnout 27% 
			
			 1 October 2002 Corby Yes 5,351 (46%)  
			   No 6,239 (53%) 
			   Turnout 31% 
			
			 12 December 2002 Ealing Yes 9,454 (45%)  
			   No 11,655 (55%) 
			   Turnout 9.8%

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Arms Exports

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many arms export licences for armoured vehicles, aircraft and naval vessels have been granted by the Department since 2001; and what their value was.

Nigel Griffiths: The details of all export licences are published by destination in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls. A copy of the 2001 Annual Report is available from the Libraries of the House. The 2002 Annual Report will be published shortly.
	It would entail disproportionate cost to establish the number of export licences for armoured vehicles, aircraft and naval vessels that have been granted since 2001.

Arms Exports

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action can be taken by the Department against the purchasers of UK arms exports if the arms are used in undesirable circumstances.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government refuse export licence applications where there is a clear risk that the goods will be used in contravention of the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria. The surest way of preventing diversion or misuse is by a thorough risk assessment at the licensing stage, where all information available at the time can be considered including the end user's track record, before the goods are exported.

Arms Exports

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to which African countries her Department has granted export licences for arms in the last six months.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 23 June 2003
	Between 1 January 2003 and 17 June 2003 the Department of Trade and Industry's Export Control Organisation granted export licences, covering the export of items on the Military List to the following African countries:
	Algeria
	Angola
	Benin
	Botswana
	Chad
	Djibouti
	Egypt
	Eritrea
	Ethiopia
	Gabon
	Gambia
	Ghana
	Kenya
	Malawi
	Mauritius
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Nambia
	Niger
	Nigeria
	Senegal
	South Africa
	Tanzania
	Tunisia.

Company Insolvency

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her plans for reform of the framework for company insolvency in cases where a service provider on a contingent fee basis has ceased trading because it is insolvent.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The corporate insolvency provisions of Part 10 of the Enterprise Act 2002 are likely to be brought into force at some point during September 2003, but there are no plans for further reform of the legislative framework relating to company insolvency.

Departmental Ministers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Ministers there were in her Department in each year since 1996.

Patricia Hewitt: Including the Secretary of State, the number of Ministers in my Department since 1996 were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 24 July 1996 to 5 May 1997 7 
			 6 June 1997 to 27 July 1998 (15)7 
			 28 July 1998 to 22 December 1998 (15)8 
			 23 December 1998 to 4 January 1999 (15)8 
			 5 January 1999 to 28 July 1999 8 
			 29 July 1999 to 10 June 2001 7 
			 11 June 2001 to 28 May 2002 8 
			 29 May 2002 to 12 June 2003 (16)8 
			 13 June 2003 to date (16)7 
		
	
	(15) One Minister shared with the Treasury.
	(16) One Minister shared with the Foreign Office.

Developing Countries

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will propose (a) restrictions on the size of the delegations of rich countries to the WTO and GATS meetings, (b) that the money saved be passed directly to countries which cannot afford to send delegations to these meetings and (c) that the voting at these meetings be proportional to the size of the populations they represent.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government believe that it is important that all WTO Members are able to participate effectively in WTO negotiations. We are therefore working to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to participate in the WTO and in the international trading system. In doing so, we are helping developing countries and development agencies to build trade policy capacity in both national capitals and in Geneva, where many of the least-developed country Members of the WTO still have no permanent representation. Since 1997, we have committed £45 million to trade-related technical assistance and capacity building.
	WTO meetings generally operate on a consensus basis, with agreement reached only when all WTO Members are content with the outcome. As a result, occasions for formal voting are rare but, when they do occur, take place on the basis of one member, one vote, regardless either of the size of countries' populations or of their economic power within the international trading system.

ECGD

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total outstanding debt owed to the ECGD is, broken down by country.

Patricia Hewitt: The total outstanding debt as at 31 May 2003 in respect of ECGD guaranteed business, broken down by country of obligor, is detailed in the following table. The total is further broken down between Amounts at Risk (payments of principal and interest which have yet to fall due), unrecovered claims (whether rescheduled or not) and moratorium interest accrued on the unrecovered claims.
	
		£
		
			 Market Amounts at risk Unrecoveredclaims Moratorium interest Total (incl. MI) 
		
		
			 Abu Dhabi 25,792,665 0 0 25,792,665 
			 Algeria 47,412,908 143,703,262 0 191,116,169 
			 Angola 0 54,037,320 55,760,006 109,797,326 
			 Anguilla 135,735 0 0 135,735 
			 Antigua and Barbuda 0 3,197,134 0 3,197,134 
			 Argentina 14,507,659 34,097,429 2,973,142 51,578,230 
			 Australia 66,086,995 4,582,107 0 70,669,103 
			 Austria 16,597,685 0 0 16,597,685 
			 Azerbaijan 13,881,235 0 0 13,881,235 
			 Bahrain 142,282,270 69,466 0 142,351,736 
			 Bangladesh 65,208,062 0 0 65,208,062 
			 Barbados 6,807,567 0 0 6,807,567 
			 Belgium 85,408,750 9,956,409 0 95,365,159 
			 Benin 0 2,491,246 169,666 2,660,912 
			 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 975,089 535,784 1,510,873 
			 Brazil 251,528,094 219,870,948 86,506,905 557,905,948 
			 Brunei Darussalam 85,784,186 0 0 85,784,186 
			 Burma (Myanmar) 0 23,053,590 0 23,053,590 
			 Cameroon 0 26,719,101 32,412,449 59,131,551 
			 Canada 246,479,473 787 0 246,480,260 
			 Central African Republic 0 144,746 198,513 343,259 
			 Chile 330,129,806 0 0 330,129,806 
			 China 1,802,641,883 0 0 1,802,641,883 
			 Colombia 16,479,702 0 0 16,479,702 
			 Congo 0 58,027,462 98,419,660 156,447,122 
			 Congo, Democratic Republic of 0 24,887,981 24,824,518 49,712,499 
			 Costa Rica 203,654 0 0 203,654 
			 Cote D Ivoire 539,974 24,067,789 10,304,976 34,912,738 
			 Croatia 43,263,244 55,560,452 3,486,477 102,310,173 
			 Cuba 0 52,619,660 52,349,579 104,969,239 
			 Cyprus 14,188,934 1,400 0 14,190,333 
			 Denmark 18,823,979 0 0 18,823,979 
			 Dominica 7,770,045 806,108 0 8,576,154 
			 Dominican Republic 44,520,996 0 0 44,520,996 
			 EC Market n/k 8,544,922 0 0 8,544,922 
			 Ecuador 0 28,693,116 31,560,208 60,253,324 
			 Egypt 98,596,530 138,460,494 18,319,561 255,376,585 
			 Egypt (Business to 31/12/93) 123,785 0 0 123,785 
			 El Salvador 51,228,945 0 0 51,228,945 
			 Ethiopia 0 10,996,464 437,028 11,433,492 
			 Finland 24,711,201 0 0 24,711,201 
			 France 12,811,724 86,752 0 12,898,476 
			 Gabon 0 75,090,151 56,957,478 132,047,629 
			 Ghana 73,442,414 39,440,596 834,664 113,717,673 
			 Greece 112,472,105 120,556 0 112,592,660 
			 Grenada 0 1,632,609 0 1,632,609 
			 Guinea 0 922,419 2,777,849 3,700,268 
			 Guyana 0 11,484,683 22,819,448 34,304,131 
			 Hong Kong 424,593,722 0 0 424,593,722 
			 Iceland 24,123,150 0 0 24,123,150 
			 India 204,540,159 2,157,228 0 206,697,386 
			 Indonesia 703,031,240 726,279,983 0 1,429,311,222 
			 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 106,074,814 28,447,671 0 134,522,485 
			 Iraq 0 622,559,366 0 622,559,366 
			 Israel 21,109,891 0 0 21,109,891 
			 Italy 4,214,416 214,131 0 4,428,547 
			 Jamaica 19,000,371 1,751,701 275,374 21,027,446 
			 Japan 86,314 0 0 86,314 
			 Jordan 0 291,604,871 85,723,436 377,328,308 
			 Kazakhstan 43,057,499 7 0 43,057,506 
			 Kenya 1,079,953 16,575,040 2,337,469 19,992,462 
			 Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of 0 5,864,356 0 5,864,356 
			 Korea, Republic of 221,108,688 0 0 221,108,688 
			 Kuwait 29,142,276 1,993,296 0 31,135,573 
			 Lebanon 14,412,903 77 0 14,412,980 
			 Lesotho 4,393,619 0 0 4,393,619 
			 Liberia 0 8,325,991 11,583,679 19,909,670 
			 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 0 25,372,379 0 25,372,379 
			 Lithuania 6,299,751 0 0 6,299,751 
			 Luxembourg 65,377,087 0 0 65,377,087 
			 Macedonia 0 2,954,699 619,106 3,573,805 
			 Madagascar 0 11,166,827 11,502,222 22,669,049 
			 Malawi 0 345,746 6,404 352,150 
			 Malaysia 1,040,867,295 0 0 1,040,867,295 
			 Maldives 1,507,337 0 0 1,507,337 
			 Mali 0 3,426,888 244,882 3,671,770 
			 Malta 23,068,620 0 0 23,068,620 
			 Mauritania 0 3,238,861 1,841,890 5,080,751 
			 Mauritius 36,861,980 0 0 36,861,980 
			 Mexico 187,784,531 1,358,314 0 189,142,845 
			 Morocco 3,147,164 28,878,537 0 32,025,701 
			 Mozambique 0 159,513 0 159,513 
			 Netherlands 129,765,016 0 0 129,765,016 
			 Nicaragua 0 398,383 807,365 1,205,749 
			 Niger 0 3,370,319 4,061,460 7,431,779 
			 Nigeria 122,731,490 1,800,706,416 2,480,429,550 4,403,867,455 
			 Oman 276,107,333 0 0 276,107,333 
			 Pakistan 83,796,779 6,226,898 201,333 90,225,010 
			 Panama 10,576,194 0 0 10,576,194 
			 Papua New Guinea 34,265,475 0 0 34,265,475 
			 Paraguay 1,594,479 0 0 1,594,479 
			 Peru 0 62,284,227 58,296,159 120,580,385 
			 Philippines 799,595,793 9,002,261 2,169,274 810,767,328 
			 Poland 0 398,751,515 368,215,401 766,966,916 
			 Portugal 41,935,972 47,071 0 41,983,043 
			 Qatar 261,413,786 0 0 261,413,786 
			 Romania 84,099,359 0 0 84,099,359 
			 Russian Federation 270,840,483 585,609,189 34,564,505 891,014,177 
			 Saint Kitts and Nevis 9,800,867 0 0 9,800,867 
			 Saint Lucia 267,344 0 0 267,344 
			 Saudi Arabia 1,015,166,892 1,400,582 0 1,016,567,474 
			 Senegal 0 620,544 845,429 1,465,973 
			 Serbia and Montenegro 0 165,342,615 112,658,820 278,001,435 
			 Seychelles 1,418,882 391,423 0 1,810,305 
			 Sierra Leone 0 885,396 2,832,239 3,717,634 
			 Singapore 78,016,682 5,326 0 78,022,009 
			 Somalia 0 11,552,718 16,937,948 28,490,666 
			 South Africa 1,298,166,773 0 0 1,298,166,773 
			 Spain 4,531,720 64,867 0 4,596,587 
			 Sri Lanka 85,045,108 0 0 85,045,108 
			 Sudan 0 91,089,944 242,925,356 334,015,300 
			 Sweden 174,311,468 0 0 174,311,468 
			 Switzerland 162,366,128 12,880,453 0 175,246,580 
			 Taiwan 179,410,025 1,681,549 0 181,091,575 
			 Tanzania, United Republic of 0 16,366,761 50,437,853 66,804,614 
			 Thailand 134,470,986 0 0 134,470,986 
			 Togo 0 9,464,036 7,867,593 17,331,629 
			 Tunisia 34,585,457 0 0 34,585,457 
			 Turkey 634,574,412 993,563 0 635,567,975 
			 Turkmenistan 11,959,680 0 0 11,959,680 
			 Uganda 0 619 0 619 
			 United Arab Emirates 466,891,056 0 0 466,891,056 
			 United Kingdom 21,308,889 0 0 21,308,889 
			 United States 625,884,634 3,205,084 0 629,089,717 
			 Uzbekistan 23,321,521 0 0 23,321,521 
			 Venezuela 107,093,170 0 0 107,093,170 
			 Vietnam 53,355,945 5,615,979 4,453,483 63,425,407 
			 Zambia 0 83,387,206 113,461,745 196,848,951 
			 Zimbabwe 42,771,086 71,477,938 0 114,249,025 
			 Total 14,194,730,789 6,171,295,687 4,116,947,886 24,482,974,362

IT Specialists

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Government have made of the difference in pay rates between (a) British IT specialists and (b) Asian IT specialists who are working in the United Kingdom.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government have made no such assessment. The UK's work permit arrangements require that the pay and other conditions of employment that apply to an overseas worker coming to work in the UK should be at least equal to those normally given to a 'resident worker' doing similar work. The host employer must also ensure that the employment terms meet all UK legislation. The employer will be expected to operate PAYE and class 1 national insurance contributions.

Personal Loans

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will introduce a maximum interest rate on personal loans; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We have recently consulted on making the extortionate credit provisions within the Consumer Credit Act 1974 more effective. This consultation closed on 6 June 2003, and the responses are currently being analysed. Statutory interest rate controls are just one approach to tackling the burden of extortionate credit agreements on more vulnerable members of society and I remain to be convinced that they would be effective. I will, however, be commissioning research on how interest rate caps operate in other countries.

Supermarkets

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to seek an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading into the market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food retail sectors.

Patricia Hewitt: None. The OFT is of course free to establish its own enquiry if it has cause for concern.

Supermarkets

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of market share held by supermarkets in the non-food retail sector.

Patricia Hewitt: The Department has not carried out an assessment of the share of the non-food retailing market held by the supermarkets.

Supermarkets

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from retail trade bodies on market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food sectors.

Patricia Hewitt: I have received no recent representations from retail trade bodies commenting specifically on the market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food sectors. But submissions received from such bodies regarding the Office of Fair Trading's report on the control of entry regulations and retail pharmacy services in the UK have speculated on the possible market behaviour of supermarkets should the OFT's deregulatory proposals be implemented.

Technical Textiles

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many projects have been supported by her Department's Innovation Budget involving technical textiles; and what funding was provided in each case.

Patricia Hewitt: My Department has supported 25 Technical Textile projects under the Innovation Budget with a total of £4,136,121 in financial support. The projects related to the application of technical textile technology and innovation in the following sectors:
	Construction and Geo-textiles
	3 projects with total of £391,981 in support
	Electronics and communications
	2 projects with total of £292,772 in support
	Medical
	1 project with total of £155,400 in support
	Personal Protection
	3 projects with total of £441,982 in support
	Sport and Leisure
	3 projects with total of £881,175 in support
	Transportation and defence equipment
	3 projects with total of £346,386 in support
	Multi-sectoral
	10 projects with applications in more than one sector with total of £1,636,425 in support.
	In addition my Department has provided £1.2 million support to the TechniTex Faraday partnership. The project will run for five years with a total fund of £10.6 million for technical textiles collaborative research.
	Regional Development Agencies have also provided financial support to this technologically innovative and dynamic sector.

Temporary Workers Directive

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the latest draft of the EC temporary workers directive contains significant references to pay that are outside the scope of Article 141 of the Nice Treaty.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Article 137 of the EC Treaty is the legal base for the proposed Agency Directive. Article 137(1)(b) provides that
	"With a view to achieving the objectives of Article 136, the Community shall support and complement the activities of Member States in the following fields:
	(b) working conditions;".

Veterinary Medicine

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 538W, on veterinary medicines, what period will be allowed for public consultation; when it will commence; what methods of public consultation will be undertaken; and whether the consultation will be undertaken before the publication of the Government response to the Office of Fair Trading report.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 June 2003
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has asked the Office of Fair Trading to consult informally with relevant parties on the appropriate terms of orders to implement the Competition Commission's remedies under the Fair Trading Act 1973. After the OFT have reported back in July, the public consultation will begin.
	The public consultation will last for 13 weeks. A consultation document will be placed on the DTI website and we will write out to interested parties.
	The Government response to the regulatory recommendations addressed to it in the Commission's report will be published before the Department consults publicly on the terms of the order to implement the Commission's proposed remedies under the Fair Trading Act 1973.

Voluntary Organisations

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding programmes are operated by her Department to support voluntary organisations working with young people; and what the level of support has been in each of the last three years.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 20 June 2003
	The Department does not operate any funding programmes aimed solely at supporting voluntary organisations working with young people and, therefore, the specific data requested about funding for such organisations are not available. However, the Department does support more general programmes that include an element of support for organisations working with young people, including those described later.
	The Small Business Service (SBS) promotes entrepreneurship among young people specifically by providing funding to the following programmes which are run by not-for-profit organisations:
	Shell LiveWIRE aims to encourage young people (aged 16 to 30) to consider starting a business by providing information and advice about the initial stages of starting up in business. SBS provides funding to support the LiveWIRE inquiry hotline service and to meet the costs of supplying business kits to young people; £65,000 was provided in 2001, £140,000 in 2002 and £140,000 is being provided in 2003; and
	SBS also supports Young Enterprise, by co-sponsoring the Young Enterprise's Entrepreneurship Masterclass and Graduate Programmes and their Innovation Awards with funding of £56,000 in 2001–02 and £250,000 in 2002–03. Young Enterprise aims to inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise by giving them the opportunity to gain personal experience of how business works.
	Although it does not specifically target voluntary organisations working with young people, the Small Business Service's Phoenix Fund provides funding to voluntary and other organisations which help encourage entrepreneurship in disadvantaged communities and under-represented groups throughout England.
	Additionally, the DTI is one of the main funders of the Regional Development Agencies, which in turn, provide support to a wide range of voluntary organisations, including those working with young people; this support contributes towards delivery of the RDAs' regeneration, skills development and other objectives.

Working Time Directive

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what plans she has to publish in draft Regulations giving effect to the Horizontal Working Time Directive in the transport industry; and when she expects to (a) make and (b) lay before Parliament Regulations giving such effect;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the effect upon the transport industry of a delay in making Regulations giving effect to the Horizontal Working Time Directive;
	(3)  what plans she has to consult with the transport industry in advance of implementation of the Horizontal Working Time Directive; and what assessment she has made of the time needed by the transport sector to prepare for implementation.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I hope to make and lay the Regulations covering all sectors affected by the Horizontal Amending Directive in early July 2003. I have made no formal assessment of the effect of any delay in doing so on the transport industry as I expect that the Regulations will come into force on 1 August 2003, the date set by the Directive. The transport industry have contributed extensively to consultation on this subject, and I am aware that they are already working with Department of Trade and Industry officials to prepare for implementation.

World Trade Rules

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to ensure that world trade rules do not prevent developing countries from using targeted interventions to support (a) their infant industries and (b) vulnerable producers.

Patricia Hewitt: WTO rules already allow developing countries considerable freedom. In particular, Article XVIII of the GATT allows developing countries to use a wide range of measures to protect infant industries (and has often been used in the past) and Article 27 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM) exempts developing countries with a GDP of less than $1,000 per head from certain disciplines of the Agreement. There are no plans to tighten these provisions.
	However, although developing countries may choose to support their infant industries and vulnerable producers with subsidies and protect them from competition with high tariffs and non-tariff barriers, the evidence suggests that the success of such protection is mixed. In general, therefore, we do not consider such an approach to be the most useful tool for fostering economic growth and poverty reduction.
	We recognise that trade reform can have adverse effects on particular sectors and groups particularly in the short term. This is why it is important that trade reform is properly sequenced and accompanied by complementary policies to help manage the process of change. In this context, it is important that Special and Differential Treatment provisions within WTO rules are effective and binding and that any new WTO rules reflect different countries' implementation capacities.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Employees

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the nationalities employed by the Department, broken down by (a) numbers, (b) locations and (c) job titles.

Hilary Benn: Nationality of DFID Home Civil Service staff is recorded against the categories approved by the Cabinet Office for use in the 2001 Census.
	Details, in the table, provide a breakdown by location in the UK and by grading band. Information is not available by job title.
	DFID also employs some 874 Staff Appointed In Country, in its 36 country and regional offices located overseas. No record of nationality is maintained for these staff.
	
		
			 Grade/nationality SCS (L) SCS (EK) Band A (L) Band A (EK) FS (L) FS (EK) Band B (L) Band B (EK) Band C (L) Band C (EK) Grant totals 
		
		
			 British 36 3 241 23 26 0 117 39 59 42 586 
			 English 12 0 123 6 14 0 91 4 80 2 332 
			 Irish 1 0 6 0 0 0 4 3 4 2 20 
			 Scottish 0 1 30 39 2 0 22 147 1 157 399 
			 Welsh 1 0 10 1 2 0 5 1 0 0 20 
			 Other 2 0 39 0 6 0 8 1 13 0 69 
			 Not known(17) 10 0 113 4 23 1 54 24 27 31 287 
			 Totals 62 4 562 73 73 1 301 219 184 234 1713 
		
	
	(17) Completion of questionnaires covering nationality is voluntary. Where staff have not provided the information, their nationality is categorised as 'not known'.
	Note:
	Legend: L = London; EK = East Kilbride; FS = Fast Stream.

Development Assistance Application Criteria

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what criteria his Department provides for (a) prospective countries and (b) development NGOs against which they may apply for development assistance; and if he will place them in the Library.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not set formal criteria for prospective recipients of UK aid. Our support is based on a judgment taken after consideration of a number of factors. These include: the extent of poverty in the country (we currently spend over 80 per cent. of our bilateral aid in the poorest countries), the recipient government's commitment to poverty reduction, the likelihood that the resources provided will contribute to poverty reduction and other donor involvement.
	Our approach to contributing to poverty elimination through achievement of the Millennium Development Goals is set out in two White Papers on International Development (both available in the Library). The decision to provide support—as well as details of our programmes—in individual countries is set out in a series of Country Assistance Plans. These are available at: www.dfid.gov.uk
	There are many ways in which Development NGOs can apply for funding from DFID, including our centrally-managed funding schemes such as the Civil Society Challenge Fund and Partnership Programme Agreements, and through individual country offices and country programmes. Detailed criteria have been developed for each funding scheme, to ensure that public funds are used to the best effect. Country offices can provide criteria for their specific funding schemes on request, and details of all centrally-managed schemes are also available on our website at: www.dfid.gov.uk

Euro Roadshow

Howard Flight: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will list the events the Secretary of State for International Development plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow.

Hilary Benn: I refer the hon. Member to the response given by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 459W.

Kenya

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how much the Government have given (a) directly and (b) indirectly to educational projects and programmes in Kenya in each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: The following amounts have been given directly to educational projects and programmes in Kenya since 1997:
	
		
			 Financial year Amount (£000) 
		
		
			 1997–98 2,299 
			 1998–99 2,823 
			 1999–2000 1,788 
			 2000–01 4,322 
			 2001–02 4,472 
			 2002–03 15,162 
		
	
	In addition DFID has provided support through multilateral agencies, including the World Bank.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make a statement on the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department over the last year.

Hilary Benn: A regulatory impact assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals and their impact.
	DFID's has not reviewed or carried out a regulatory impact assessment on its work in the last 12 months. The development assistance programme has limited impact on businesses in the UK.

Sunset Clauses

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development if he will make it his policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause.

Hilary Benn: The revised RIA guidance 'Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment' was published on 28 January 2003. It advises policy officials to consider time limiting or sunsetting at an early stage of policy development and gives specific examples of where sunsetting may be appropriate.
	The Department for International Development actively promotes better regulation and the use of sunsetting where appropriate.

Sustainability (Departmental Projects)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what percentage of the Department's projects were in countries which were (a) found to have achieved sustainability, (b) found to be too early to judge sustainability, (c) found to have doubts as to their sustainability and (d) were not assessed for sustainability in each year since 2000.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not make judgments about the sustainability of our partner countries.
	All our projects are designed to be sustainable so that they will continue to deliver benefits in the long term. DFID's projects under implementation above a certain threshold (£1 million from April 2002) are assessed annually through DFID's Performance Reporting Information System for Management (PRISM).
	To give us a more accurate picture of performance, we break our projects down according to a risk assessment.
	It is not possible to produce reliable, comparable data on project success for each year since 2000. Figures since April 2002 are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year 2001–02 Percentage 
		
		
			 High risk projects judged likely to be successful 24 
			 Medium risk projects judged likely to be successful 56 
			 Low risk projects judged likely to be successful 81 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Reporting Information System for Management (PRISM).
	
		
			 Financial year 2002–03 Percentage 
		
		
			 High risk projects judged likely to be successful 33 
			 Medium risk projects judged likely to be successful 52 
			 Low risk projects judged likely to be successful 84 
		
	
	Source:
	Performance Reporting Information System for Management (PRISM).
	Each project is given a score ranging from one to five, based on the likelihood of their achieving their intended objectives. For the purposes of this exercise, we judge projects receiving a score of one or two to be successful. Projects receiving a lower score may have achieved some of their objectives and so brought some sustainable development benefits.
	We have a target in our 2003–06 Public Service Agreement to improve the performance of our projects in each risk category.

Sustainability (Departmental Projects)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what percentage of departmental projects worth over £1 million initiated in each year since 1997 have long-term sustainability mandates.

Hilary Benn: All of DFID's projects are designed to be sustainable so that they will continue to deliver benefits in the long-term. Our Performance Reporting Information System for Management (PRISM) system measures the success of our projects (above £1 million) against a range of criteria, one of which is sustainability. Headline progress in evaluating the success of our projects is reported in DFID's Departmental Report.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Staff Creche

Paul Marsden: To ask the Solicitor General if she will make a statement on the creche facilities made available by the Department to the children of the Department's staff.

Harriet Harman: None of the Departments for which the Attorney General holds ministerial responsibility provide creche facilities. However, the Treasury Solicitor's Department has a contract through the Cabinet Office, with Childcare Enterprises Ltd. This company provides a holiday play scheme to which Treasury Solicitor's staff can apply at a cost, currently, of £30 per day. Half the cost is subsequently met by the Department. In the current financial year, 2002–03, seven staff have used the play scheme service, at a cost to the Department of £1,476.00.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the terrain of Afghanistan is pacified and under full control of the Kabul Government.

Mike O'Brien: The Afghan Transitional Authority (ATA) is the legally recognised controlling authority for the entire country. It was appointed by President Karzai after his election at the June 2002 Loya Jirga by regional representatives from all parts of Afghanistan. There continue to be attacks in several parts of the country against ISAF, Coalition and ATA targets, as well as UN demining teams and NGOs. But these attacks remain limited, sporadic and do not constitute attempts by other forces to take control of an area.

British Consulate (San Francisco)

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what offers have been received for the British Consulate in San Francisco; what the cost is of the proposed replacement including fees for advisers and realtors; and whether the newly purchased building is leasehold.

Bill Rammell: We have no plans to sell the Consulate-General offices, which are leased. No offers have been received for the present Residence of the Consul-General, which has not yet been placed on the market. The replacement Residence is expected to cost £3.3 million after allowing for the cost of ongoing work, such as security measures, and fees for professional advisers. Under local practice the vendor pays the property broker's fee. The new Residence has been acquired on the local equivalent of freehold.

British Consulate (San Francisco)

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what size the present consulate in San Francisco is in square feet; and what the size is of the replacement building.

Bill Rammell: The present Residence of the Consul-General in San Francisco has a net internal area of 10,241 square feet; the house purchased as the future Residence has a net internal area of 4,905 square feet.

British Prisoners

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are in prison in each Commonwealth country.

Chris Mullin: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office collates prisoner totals on a quarterly basis. For the quarter ending on 31 March 2003, we were aware of 411 British nationals detained in Commonwealth countries.
	The table gives a breakdown of the number of prisoners detained in each Commonwealth country.
	
		British Nationals Imprisoned in Commonwealth Countries as of 31 March 2003
		
			 Country Total imprisoned 
		
		
			 Antigua and Barbuda 7 
			 Australia 91 
			 Bangladesh 1 
			 Barbados 26 
			 Belize 0 
			 Botswana 0 
			 Brunei Darussalam 0 
			 Cameroon 0 
			 Canada 16 
			 Cyprus 16 
			 Dominica 1 
			 Fiji Islands 0 
			 Ghana 1 
			 Grenada 17 
			 Guyana 2 
			 India 22 
			 Jamaica 124 
			 Kenya 1 
			 Kiribati 0 
			 Lesotho 0 
			 Malawi 1 
			 Malaysia 1 
			 Maldives 0 
			 Malta 7 
			 Mauritius 0 
			 Mozambique 0 
			 Namibia 0 
			 Nauru 0 
			 New Zealand 12 
			 Nigeria 1 
			 Pakistan 6 
			 Papua New Guinea 0 
			 Samoa 0 
			 Seychelles 0 
			 Sierra Leone 0 
			 Singapore 11 
			 Solomon Islands 0 
			 South Africa 19 
			 Sri Lanka 0 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 1 
			 St Lucia 6 
			 St Vincent and the Grenadines 2 
			 Swaziland 0 
			 The Bahamas 0 
			 The Gambia 0 
			 Tonga 0 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 18 
			 Tuvalu 0 
			 Uganda 0 
			 United Republic of Tanzania 0 
			 Vanuatu 0 
			 Zambia 1 
			 Zimbabwe* 0 
			 Total 411 
		
	
	* Zimbabwe currently suspended from the Commonwealth

Cayman Islands

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what investigation was made by his Department into the recent resignations of (a) the Attorney General of the Cayman Islands and (b) the Head of the Financial Reporting Unit in the Cayman Islands.

Bill Rammell: This department has made no formal investigation as such into either the early departure from office of the former Attorney General of the Cayman Islands or the resignation of the former director of the Financial Reporting Unit. But, as the then FCO Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend the Baroness Amos was fully informed of the events and considerations leading to these departures and visited the Cayman Islands on 16–17 February 2003 to discuss the issues involved with the Governor and elected representatives.

Cayman Islands

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial settlement the Attorney General of the Cayman Islands received upon resignation.

Bill Rammell: The financial settlement agreed on the Attorney General's departure from office is a matter for him and his former employers, the Cayman Islands Government.

EU Communications Activities

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a list of the organisations in EU applicant states which have been in receipt of Community funds in the past 12 months under the Information and Communications Strategy; what proportion of those bodies (a) favour and (b) oppose accession; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The European Commission publishes monthly reports on the implementation of the communication strategy for Enlargement on its website (www.europe.org.uk). This includes details of organisations in the accession states that have received funding under this strategy. The Commission Delegations in the accession states administer the funding under strict guidelines as set out in the communications strategy. Their activities are closely monitored by the Governments of the Candidate Countries.

EU Communications Activities

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has, since 1997, raised objections to aspects of European Commission communications activities (a) in the UK and (b) in applicant states; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: This information is not held centrally and to research the situation in each of the 13 candidate countries for the past five years would incur disproportionate cost.
	The FCO and European Commission Representation to the UK have a good working relationship and co-operate on activities to raise UK public awareness of EU enlargement—an objective we share.

EU Communications Activities

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the documents received by his Department on the management of the European Commission's communications activities in EU applicant states over the past 12 months.

Denis MacShane: Documents relating to the management of the Commission communication strategy for EU Enlargement are published on its website (www.europe.org.uk) and include monthly updates on activities in the accession countries.

EU Information Campaigns

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 515W, on EU information campaigns, if he will deposit in the Library copies of (a) county profiles, (b) personality and political party or group assessments and (c) campaign strategies arising from the application of the Commission's Information and Communication Strategy for the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Country profiles are available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk) and include information on political parties, government and recent political developments. Details of the FCO's EU communication activities are also on the FCO website. The European Commission provides full details of its implementation of the Communication Strategy for Enlargement on its public website (www.europe.org.uk).

Euro Roadshow

Howard Flight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the events he plans to attend as part of the Government's euro roadshow.

Denis MacShane: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans to attend the Government's euro roadshow. Officials from Her Majesty's Treasury will be undertaking a number of "roadshows" to our European and other partners to explain the assessment of the five economic tests, the supporting studies, and the subsequent announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House on 9 June, Official Report, column 407.

Family Visit Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide clearer and more comprehensive information on the (a) family visitor appeal right and (b) appeal process to refused family visit visa applicants.

Chris Mullin: All unsuccessful applicants receive written notices informing them about their right to appeal, and the procedure they need to follow should they choose to exercise this right, at the time of refusal. Where this is necessary it can be explained in the applicant's own language by an interpreter. Furthermore, by definition, all family visitor applicants will have a UK sponsor who can advise and assist with the appeal.
	In response to the discussion paper published to inform the Interdepartmental Review of Family Visitor Appeals the review team has produced a leaflet for family visitors and their sponsors, which is available on the Home Office website. UKvisas produce a general information leaflet on Appeals: 11,500 of these have been sent to overseas posts in the past six months.

Family Visit Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will inform refused family visit visa applicants of the relative chances of success of appellants who opt for (a) an oral appeal and (b) a paper-only appeal.

Chris Mullin: We do not as a matter of course inform refused applicants or their sponsors of the relative chance of success of different types of appeals, but the leaflet for family visitors and their sponsors does point out that "people who ask for their appeals to be decided on the papers are only about half as successful as people who ask for an oral hearing". The leaflet explains that the sponsor and other witnesses can speak to the adjudicator at an oral hearing, and that a legal representative can attend to put the appellant's case. All appeals are determined on their merits by an independent Adjudicator.
	As paper appeals are prioritised, and because family visits are often to attend a specific event, it may be in the applicant's interest to opt for a swift decision by choosing an appeal on the papers.
	Entry Clearance Officers (ECOs) do not usually have the benefit of seeing the applicant's sponsor at interview. If an oral hearing is chosen, the adjudicator will have the advantage of hearing the sponsor's evidence in addition to the evidence provided to the ECO at the time of the application, allowing the appellant and the sponsor the opportunity to make a fuller case.
	By definition, all family visitors will have a sponsor in the UK who can seek advice on their behalf about appealing, including which type of appeal to choose.

Family Visit Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will amend the visit visa application form to include an option to indicate that the purpose of the visit for which a visa is sought is to visit family members in the UK.

Chris Mullin: An amended visit visa application form has been produced which will enable applicants to indicate that the purpose of the visit for which entry clearance is sought is to visit family members in the United Kingdom.
	The revised application form will be in use from 1 August 2003.

Family Visit Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide additional guidance to entry clearance officers on (a) how to assess multiple-purpose visit visa applications and (b) which relationships qualify as family members for the purpose of family visitor appeals under the immigration rules.

Chris Mullin: All new Entry Clearance Officers (ECOs) undergo an intensive course of training provided by UKvisas. As part of an ECO's training, specific instruction is given concerning visit visas. Guidance about visit visa applications is contained in the Diplomatic Service Procedures, Entry Clearance, Volume 1, Chapter 10. The Diplomatic Service Procedures are available to ECOs both during their training and while at post, and are available to the public online through the UKvisas website (www.ukvisas.gov.uk).
	Applicants wishing to visit the United Kingdom for more that one reason are issued with a multiple entry visa, valid for six months, for the main purpose of their visit.
	Any secondary purpose of a visit can be undertaken using the same visit visa. The relationships which qualify as family members, for the purpose of family visitor appeals, are clearly defined in the Diplomatic Service Procedures, Entry Clearance, Volume 1, Chapter 23.3 and were redefined in SI 518 on 5 March 2003.

Family Visit Visas

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to establish regular meetings between UK Visas and the Immigration Appellate Authority to provide a forum for discussion of issues of joint concern.

Chris Mullin: The Head of UKvisas already meets with colleagues from the Immigration Appellate Authority to discuss issues of joint concern. UKvisas attaches great importance to this relationship.

Ghana

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ghanaian Government concerning the visit of the President of Liberia to their country.

Chris Mullin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Meriden (Caroline Spelman) on 23 June 2003, Official Report, column 591W.

Zimbabwe

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on Zimbabwe Government pensioners in the United Kingdom not receiving their pensions; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: We receive regular representation from pensioners in the UK who are not being paid their Zimbabwean Government pensions. Our High Commission in Harare speaks regularly to the Zimbabwean pension authorities, reminding them of their obligations to pay these pensions in full and on time. The Zimbabwean authorities say that the current lack of foreign currency in the country means that they can no longer pay pensioners living outside of Zimbabwe. All payments to pensioners living in the UK were suspended from January this year. Regrettably, this situation is unlikely to change until Zimbabwe's economy improves.

Zimbabwe

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with sub-Saharan African counterparts regarding the situation in (a) Zimbabwe and (b) the Great Lakes region.

Chris Mullin: We are in regular contact with African leaders on Zimbabwe. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the crisis there with Botswana's President Mogae in London on 11 June; and with South Africa's President Mbeki in South Africa on 14 May. We support regional efforts to promote inter-party dialogue as a first step towards restoring good governance and economic prosperity in Zimbabwe.
	We regularly discuss the situation in the Great Lakes with regional governments including Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa and Angola. We remain concerned about the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly the humanitarian crisis in the north-eastern Ituri region. We were active in encouraging the governments of Rwanda and Uganda to respond positively to the UN Secretary General's request to send an Interim Emergency Multinational Force to Bunia (Ituri region).

Zimbabwe

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent measures have been taken to support British citizens in Zimbabwe.

Chris Mullin: The British High Commission in Harare provides guidance and assistance to British nationals resident in Zimbabwe and those visiting the country. It offers a full range of consular services.
	The High Commission also runs a website enabling it to maintain good communications with the resident British community. The Consul visits the main regional centres at regular intervals to offer advice to those unable to travel to Harare.

Zimbabwe

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provision is being made to assist the repatriation to the United Kingdom of former British nationals whose Zimbabwean passports and residents' stamps have been withdrawn.

Chris Mullin: We have a civil contingency plan for Zimbabwe, as we do for many other countries which can be activated if there is an emergency affecting the safety of British nationals. Any evacuation would be a last resort and by whatever means available at the time.
	Anyone wishing to move to the UK to take up residence who is not a British citizen will need to arrange this before leaving Zimbabwe. Anyone wishing to resume British citizenship can do this by submitting their original Declaration of Renunciation form, evidence of their present nationality and a completed application form for Registration as a British citizen, to the British High Commission in Harare, together with the current fees. The Home Office is responsible for considering such applications. If successful, a Certificate of Registration will be issued after which a British passport may be applied for.
	All those with a valid British citizen passport are free to enter the UK for an indefinite period.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Appointments

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the people appointed to ad hoc posts within her Department bearing the titles of advocate, tsar, adviser, champion and comparable titles since May 1997; what their job title is or was; what their role is or was; whether they were or are being paid; what the total cost of each such person was in each financial year, including expenses and benefits; what the expected cost of each such person is in 2003–04; to whom they are accountable; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: All Special Advisers employed from May 1997 are listed as follows:
	Burnham, A. M.
	Bush, B.
	Eccles, J.
	El Nusairi, S.
	French, P. M. W.
	Hunter, S.
	Mackenzie, R.
	Newbigin, J.
	In addition, S. Campbell and L. Phelan were appointed as Ministerial Sports Advisers; R. Cotton and S. May were appointed Ministerial Tourism Advisers; and S. John and S. Navin were appointed as Ministerial Music Advisers.
	Remuneration details cannot be disclosed in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned, and Exemption 12 of the Code of Practice on Information to Government Information applies.

Bookmakers Industry

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the bookmakers industry regarding the future regulatory treatment of fixed odds betting machines; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: We meet representatives of the bookmaking industry regularly to discuss matters of current interest, including the regulation of fixed odds betting machines. The position remains as set out in the written statement which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made on 8 January 2003, Official Report, column 7WS.

EU Regulations

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many regulations originating from the EU have been implemented by her department over each of the last five years.

Richard Caborn: DCMS has not implemented any EU Regulations during the last five years.

Gaming Board

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what requests for information about the lottery activites and (a) Solutions RMC Ltd., (b) Breast Cancer Relief and (c) Breast Cancer Research Scotland the gaming board has made of Mr. Robert Winter of Wendover, Buckinghamshire;
	(2)  what representations the Gaming Board has received from Mr. Robert Winter of Wendover, Bucks, about the activities of Solutions RMC Ltd;
	(3)  if she will request that the Gaming Board carry out an investigation into Solutions RMC Ltd.

Richard Caborn: Mr. Winter has e-mailed the Gaming Board on two occasions this year about Solutions RMC. Information which he provided is being considered by the Board as part of an investigation into the way two charities conducted their lotteries and the capacity in which Solutions RMC acted on their behalf. The Board's inspectorate are liaising with the police and the Charity Commission; but I understand that the Board has not yet asked Mr. Winter for further information.

Licensing

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has for the storage and archiving of past records of licensing magistrates after licensing responsibility is transferred to local authorities.

Richard Caborn: None. Under the transitional arrangements in Schedule 8 to the Licensing Bill, applicants for the conversion of existing licences and club certificates will be required to include their existing licence or club certificate with their application. The past records of licensing justices' will not be required. Once the transfer of responsibility for alcohol licensing to licensing authorities comes fully into effect at the end of the transitional period new licences and certificates will be granted in accordance with the provisions of the Bill and without reference to any previous licence that was granted by the licensing justices.

Licensing Bill

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are to ensure that the costs to local authorities arising from the administration, inspection and enforcement of licences, as proposed in the Licensing Bill, are met (a) from the fees payable and (b) by direct central Government funding.

Richard Caborn: The fees for licences, certificates and notices under the Licensing Bill will be set at a level which provides for full cost recovery in respect of administration, inspection and enforcement. The Government will monitor the levels of fees and it will be open to bodies such as the Audit Commission, after a reasonable period, to report to the Secretary of State on any indications that the level of fees might not be leading to full cost recovery for licensing authorities. Where an exemption from fees has been granted by Government, the associated costs will be met from central Government funds.

Licensing Bill

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether events covered by a temporary event notice, as set out in the Licensing Bill, will be covered by fire and safety legislation.

Richard Caborn: There is nothing in the Licensing Bill which exempts permitted temporary activities taking place under a temporary event notice from the provisions of existing fire and safety legislation.

Licensing Bill

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures will be put in place to ensure that licences issued under the terms of the Licensing Bill by one local authority will be recognised as valid by other local authorities.

Richard Caborn: Personal licences must be issued by all licensing authorities in accordance with the provision of the Bill. Further, regulations made by the Secretary of State will prescribe a standard form for a personal licence. No discretion is given to a licensing authority to reject the validity of a personal licence properly issued by any licensing authority. The Government are also committed to setting up a central licensing register, which would allow licensing authorities to check the issue of a personal licence with another licensing authority. Work with local authorities and other key partners to set up such a database is in hand and we will drive the work forward in parallel with the Bill to ensure that a database is available at the earliest opportunity.
	A premises licence is also granted in accordance with the provisions of the Bill by the licensing authority in whose area the premises is situated. The form of a premises licence will also be prescribed by the Secretary of State in regulations. The issue of recognition of the validity of a premises licence by another licensing authority may only arise when premises straddle the area of more than one authority. If the other authority made relevant representations on an application for a premises licence, and is aggrieved by the licensing authorities decision, it may appeal that decision to the magistrate's court.

Licensing Bill

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures will be put in place to ensure that the enforcement of the terms of licences issued under proposals in the Licensing Bill will not increase the burden on police officers.

Richard Caborn: The police have existing responsibilities for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of current alcohol licensing law. The Licensing Bill will not alter this or impose any additional burdens in relation to enforcement. The Government believe, however, that the removal of permitted hours and the anticipated reduction in crime and disorder problems at the current fixed closing times could help to reduce the burden on the police.

Live Music

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures she is taking to increase the opportunities to hear live music in the UK in (a) pubs, (b) public halls and (c) public open spaces.

Richard Caborn: The Licensing Bill will provide a unified system for the regulation of licensable activities, removing the need for the current system of separate annually renewable, public entertainment licences. Under the Bill a pub, qualifying club, community hall or indeed any other premises applying for authorisation under a premises licence for the sale and supply of alcohol will be able to apply, at the same time, for authorisation under that licence for the provision of regulated entertainment, such as live music, without incurring an additional fee. Once granted, a premises licence will have effect until the licence is revoked or surrendered, but otherwise will not be time limited unless the applicant so requests. We believe that this unified system will open up more opportunities for live musical events.
	Also the Government have made plain their intention to exempt church halls, village halls and other community buildings from the fees associated with the provision of regulated entertainment, including live music. However, a fee will be payable if the applicant also seeks authorisation for the sale or supply of alcohol. We believe that these exemptions from the fees associated with the provision of regulated entertainment will also broaden the opportunities for live musical events.
	The Bill provides that a premises can be any place and live music or other regulated entertainment on public open spaces would be licensable, subject to satisfying the conditions in Schedule 1 to the Bill and any exemptions being relevant. We will, however, be encouraging local authorities to obtain premises licences authorising the provision of regulated entertainment for public open spaces, such as village greens, on which many performances take place. No additional licence would then need to be obtained by anyone wishing to provide regulated entertainment on premises covered by such a licence, although the consent of the local authority holding the licence would be required.
	All short-term small scale events, whether in a pub, public hall or public open space could also benefit from the more informal system of permitted temporary activities under the Bill, which would require a simple notification to the licensing authority and the police and a small fee of around £20. The Bill has been amended to increase the number of temporary event notices that can be given in respect of the same premises from five to 12, subject to a maximum number of 15 days for that premises during which permitted temporary activities may take place in a calendar year. The Bill has also been amended during its passage to increase the period permissible for any temporary event from 72 hours to 96 hours.

National Endowment for Science,Technology and the Arts

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the returns generated by projects funded by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.

Estelle Morris: Of the 338 people and projects supported to date by NESTA, they have taken a financial stake in 106 through their Invention and Innovation programme. Of these 106 projects, in 78 cases this has been a royalty stake, and in 28 cases an equity stake. None of the equity stakes have yet been realised, and it is difficult to predict with any accuracy the market value of these companies at any given point in time. The 78 projects in which NESTA has a royalty stake have produced royalties for NESTA totalling approximately £57,000. However, in the majority of cases NESTA has chosen to defer payment of royalties to maximise the chances of the project's success. In total £2,699 has been received in royalty payments to date. The value and status of NESTA'S portfolio is assessed on a 6-monthly basis.The remainder of NESTA's projects are supported because of their social, artistic or other potential, rather than because they are expected to make a profit.

National Lottery

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many lottery awards, and of what total value, were allocated to projects (a) in the UK and (b) in the City of Edinburgh local authority area in each year since 1997.

Estelle Morris: The information in the table is derived from the Department's Awards Database which contains information supplied by the Lottery distributing bodies. The figure for the year 2003 represents awards up to 1 June.
	
		
			  UK City of Edinburgh 
			  Number of awards Value of awards (£) Number of awards Value of awards (£) 
		
		
			 1997 14,779 2,403,172,676.00 205 25,138,409.00 
			 1998 29,873 2,493,993,688.00 192 25,232,659.00 
			 1999 20,491 1,392,743,642.00 272 26,672,871.00 
			 2000 24,099 1,154,319,056.00 209 13,572,761.00 
			 2001 21,627 1,455,245,450.00 264 34,795,749.00 
			 2002 27,207 1,351,465,150.00 182 11,978,552.00 
			 2003 8,429 588,410,891.00 17 16,273,895.00

Places of Worship

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants her Department makes to improve places of worship in need of structural repairs.

Estelle Morris: The Department administers the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which returns in grant aid the difference between 5 per cent. and the actual amount of Value Added Tax (VAT) paid on eligible repairs and maintenance to the structure and fabric of the building. This is a demand-led scheme which has been extended to 31 March 2004. To date over £11.5 million has been paid out in grants.
	The Department also provides funds to English Heritage, which, jointly with the Heritage Lottery Fund, funds the Repair Grants for Places of Worship in England 2002–05. In this financial year £30 million is available in grants for urgent repairs to listed places of worship in regular use.
	English Heritage also runs a Cathedral Repairs Grant Scheme for Church of England and Roman Catholic Cathedrals which are listed grade I or II* and/or are situated within a conservation area. A budget of £2 million was made available for this scheme in the present financial year.

Rugby Union

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the nature of the recent Rugby Union Summit meeting.

Richard Caborn: I attended the Rugby Summit meeting on 9 June 2003 with representatives of the Rugby Union authorities, the Home Office, HM Treasury, Camelot and UK Sport. A useful discussion included Lottery funding for the sport, player visa issues, major sporting events and charitable status for amateur Rugby Union clubs. I intend to consider the points made in detail, and I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Mr. Wyatt) for organising and chairing the Summit.

Rural Sport and Recreation

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people participate in rural sport and recreation in England; and if she will make a statement on (a) the value of rural sport and recreation to rural tourism in England, (b) the value of rural sport and recreation to the rural economy in England and (c) the value of Sport England's grant aid to rural sport and recreation.

Richard Caborn: The General Household Survey for 1996 measured the percentage of the population which participated in sporting activity in a natural setting which is defined as in the countryside, on rivers or lakes or at the seaside. The survey showed that:
	20 per cent. of men, 9 per cent. of women and 14 per cent. of all adults had participated in sport in one of these locations in the past four weeks.
	51 per cent. of young people (6–16) had participated in sport in one of these locations in the past year.
	6 per cent. of ethnic minority groups had participated in one of these locations in the previous four weeks.
	35 per cent. of young people with a disability had participated in one of these locations in the previous year.
	No specific studies have been undertaken on the value of rural sport and recreation to rural tourism or the rural economy in England. However, I understand that the Countryside Agency is considering a proposal to undertake a study on the economic aspects of recreation in the countryside. Data from the Great Britain Day Visit Survey 2002/03 indicates that of day trips made to the countryside 40.5 per cent. were for the purpose of physical activity, including walking and cycling.
	Sport England has allocated the following funding to rural sports in 2002–03:
	
		£
		
			  Lottery Exchequer 
		
		
			 Angling — 128,000 
			 Caving — 5,000 
			 Equestrian 359,182 46,000 
			 Gliding 95,634 — 
			 Mountaineering 45,000 65,000 
			 Orienteering — 90,000 
			 Sailing and yachting 1,514,813 137,000 
			 Surfing — 9,000 
			 Water skiing — 38,000

Rural Sport and Recreation

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on rural sport and recreation of plans to concentrate sports council funding on selected sports.

Richard Caborn: No such assessment has been made. The decision by Sport England to prioritise its funding of National Governing Bodies of Sport will not mean that other sports and physical activities will no longer receive funding. Sport England will continue to work with the governing bodies of these sports including those which involve rural sports. When funding decisions for community projects are devolved to the regions it will be open to the Regional Sports Boards to support rural sports where these meet the objectives of their regional sports strategies.

Senior Departmental Posts

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many senior departmental posts were advertised in each year since June 1999; and how many of those were advertised in the Scottish press.

Richard Caborn: The number of senior departmental posts which were advertised since June 1999 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 3 
			 To date in 2003 (18)1 
		
	
	(18) Currently being advertised.
	These posts were advertised in national newspapers, which are available in Scotland.

Sewel Motions

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list Sewel motions passed by the Scottish Parliament since May 1999 that apply to her Department's responsibilities and Government Bills she has sponsored.

Richard Caborn: Of the bills sponsored by this Department, the Culture and Recreation Bill was the subject of a Sewel Motion in the Scottish Parliament (passed on 8 March 2001). This bill, however, did not go on to receive Royal Assent. No other bills sponsored by the Department have been the subject of a Sewel motion.

Sport England

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the divisions between regions for Sport England funding (a) were between 2001 and 2003 and (b) will be between 2004 and 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The details of the split of funding across the regions during 2001–02 and 2002–03 are shown in the following table. The funding situation within Sport England is currently under review and therefore I am not in a position to give detailed figures for the future years. It is the intention of Sport England to delegate to regions 70 per cent. of available lottery funds.
	
		
			 Sport England lottery awardsApril 2001 to March 2003 £ 
		
		
			 North-east 13,882,182 
			 Yorkshire 15,398,115 
			 East Midlands 18,515,567 
			 East 23,873,577 
			 London 48,348,438 
			 South-east 22,522,931 
			 South-west 34,641,418 
			 West Midlands 20,585,529 
			 North-west 66,798,951 
			 National Awards 191,989,562, 
			 Awards not regionalised 98,084,795 
			 Total 554,641,067 
		
	
	
		
			 Sport England regional analysis of grant in aidApril 2001 to March 2003 £ 
		
		
			 North-east 6,855,000 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 7,316,000 
			 East Midlands 8,188,000 
			 Eastern 6,660,000 
			 London 29,455,000 
			 South-east 9,732,000 
			 South-west 7,048,000 
			 West Midlands 11,271,000 
			 North-west 35,546,000 
			 Total 122,071,000

Sport England

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funds were available to Sport England in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Exchequer funds available to Sport England over the period 2001–02 to 2003–04 are shown in the following table.
	
		Sport England funding -- £000
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Exchequer Funding 38,323 43,162 80,324 
			 Lottery Funding 224,300 237,600 221,700

Sports Clubs

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has made to ministerial colleagues in the (a) Treasury and (b) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on rate relief for sports clubs; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Government recognise the desire of many in sport for a rate relief measure for community amateur sports clubs. Under revised Charity Commission guidance announced in April 2002, amateur clubs may benefit from 80 per cent. mandatory relief from business rates if they successfully apply for charitable status.
	This Department has considered the case made by some in sport for a more general rate relief measure, as part of a wider consideration of possible financial incentives for sport at all levels. This has informed my discussions with Ministers in other interested Departments.

Sunset Clauses

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to include a sunset clause in all new legislation unless a specific case can be made to exclude a sunset clause.

Richard Caborn: The revised RIA guidance 'Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment' was published on 28 January 2003. It advises policy officials to consider time limiting or sunsetting at an early stage of policy development and gives specific examples of where sunsetting may be appropriate.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport actively promotes the better regulation agenda. When we do regulate we aim to do so in a light touch way. We will use sunsetting where it makes sense to do so.

Tyntesfield Estate

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Government Departments were consulted by the National Heritage Memorial Fund in advance of the decision to provide a grant to the National Trust to purchase the Tyntesfield estate.

Richard Caborn: The National Heritage Memorial Fund consulted the following Government Departments and Government agencies/national museums during the assessment of the application from the National Trust to purchase the Tyntesfield estate:
	The Department of Culture Media and Sport;
	The Capital Taxes Office;
	Resource: the Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries;
	District Valuation Office (Executive Agency Inland Revenue);
	English Heritage;
	The Countryside Agency; and
	The Victoria and Albert Museum.

Volleyball

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promote increased participation in volleyball in schools and sports clubs.

Richard Caborn: Games activities (which may include volleyball; the National Curriculum does not specify which games must be taught) are a compulsory part of the Physical Education National Curriculum and must be taught to all pupils aged 5–16. School Sport Co-ordinator partnerships are encouraged to make links with local clubs, which may include volleyball clubs.
	Beyond schools, Sport England supports the English Volleyball Association (the recognised national governing body in England) with an Exchequer grant that includes an allocation for youth development and adult participation. Sport England has also included volleyball in the DCMS project for volunteers "Step into Sport" As a designated Sport England Partnership sport, volleyball can also benefit from services provided by County Sports Partnerships.

HEALTH

Acute Healthcare (East Kent)

Julian Brazier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the report of the Independent Review Panel investigation into acute healthcare in East Kent will be published.

John Hutton: holding answer 17 June 2003
	The Independent Reconfiguration Panel will publish its report on the modernisation of hospital services in East Kent shortly.

Care Standards

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 427W, on care standards, when he expects to commence consultation on draft guidance.

Stephen Ladyman: We plan to consult on draft guidance towards the end of the summer.

Childhood Diseases

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children suffered from (a) chickenpox, (b) measles, (c) mumps, (d) rubella and (e) whooping cough in each year since 1997.

Melanie Johnson: The numbers of laboratory confirmed cases of measles, mumps, rubella, and pertussis (whooping cough) between 1997 and 2002 are shown in the table. Notifications (clinical diagnosis only) of whooping cough are also given. The data for 2002 are provisional and therefore subject to change.
	
		
			 Year Laboratory confirmed casesmeaslesmumpsrubellapertussis Notifications of whooping cough 
		
		
			 1997 177 180 99 715 2,989 
			 1998 56 118 122 375 1,577 
			 1999 94 366 161 330 1,139 
			 2000 100 697 60 199 712 
			 2001 71 767 41 298 888 
			 2002(19) 308 482 63 245 882 
		
	
	(19) Provisional data
	Chickenpox is not a notifiable disease and laboratory reports are not available. Since chickenpox is so common in childhood, 90 per cent. of adults are immune.

Communicable Disease Report

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 10 June 2003, Official Report, column 831W, on the Communicable Disease Report, what the previous circulation of paper copies of the report was.

Melanie Johnson: The geographical distribution figures for the circulation of paper copies of the Communicable Disease Report (CDR) for 1999 (the latest available) were:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 England and Wales 3700 copies 
			 Scotland 100 copies 
			 Northern Ireland 80 copies 
			 Irish Republic 100 copies 
			 Europe (EU) 100 copies 
			 Europe (non-EU) 60 copies 
			 Rest of World 200 copies 
		
	
	The distribution policy was that copies were distributed to the following organisations and personnel:
	Public health laboratories
	Other reporting microbiology laboratories
	Consultants in Communicable Disease Control DCs
	Directors of Public Health
	Environmental health departments
	UK armed forces laboratories
	Other reporting and collaborating physicians
	Veterinary investigation centres
	Appropriate academic departments
	Appropriate Government departments
	Distribution of paper copies of the CDR stopped at the end of 2000.

Comparative Costs

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was in each of the last two financial years of treating (a) hypertension, (b) varicose veins, (c) cataracts and (d) muscular degeneration.

John Hutton: holding answer 20 June 2003
	This information is not collected centrally.

Council of Ministers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department's vote in the Council of Ministers against a legislative proposal (a) was sufficient and (b) was not sufficient to achieve with other member states a blocking minority;
	(2)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department abstained in the Council of Ministers on a legislative proposal which was passed by qualified majority voting;
	(3)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department has been outvoted by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers; and if he will list the legislation by year;
	(4)  on how many occasions since May 1997 the Department indicated dissent from a proposal in the Council of Ministers but did not register a vote or abstention.

John Hutton: Since 1997, our records indicate that the United Kingdom Government have voted against a legislation proposal only once in the Health Council and subsequently, the health element of the Employment, Social Policy Health and Consumer Affairs Council. This was for the Advertising and Sponsorship of Tobacco Products Directive in 2002, the text of which we believed could have been clearer and could have gone further. We were outvoted, by a qualified majority, and the measure was adopted. We have not abstained or indicated dissent on a proposal in that time.

Dental Services

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there were per head of population in (a) Suffolk, (b) Norfolk, (c) Essex and (d) Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table. These figures are on a headcount basis rather than a whole time equivalent (wte) basis and therefore take no account of part-time working. NHS dentists cover dentists working in the general dental service (GDS), hospital dental service (HDS), community dental service (CDS), personal dental service (PDS) and salaried service of the GDS. Dentists have been counted in each dental service in which they practice, apart from dentists working in the PDS and GDS, who are counted as GDS dentists.
	
		NHS Dental Services: Number of dentists per 100,000 population of Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire 1997 to 2001
		
			  Number of dentists per 100,000 population 
			 At 30 September 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Suffolk 36 38 39 39 38 
			 Norfolk(20) n/a n/a 40 40 42 
			 Essex 36 36 37 38 39 
			 Cambridgeshire(20) n/a n/a 38 39 42 
			 Cambridgeshire and Norfolk(20) 31 32 39 40 42 
		
	
	(20) Separate information is not available for Norfolk and Cambridgeshire for 1997 and 1998 because the health authority data cannot be separated into the two county areas. An HA re-organisation in April 1999 allows separate data to be produced.
	Note:
	1. Dentists in the General Dental Service are assigned to the main area in which they work.
	2. Population estimates are based on the 2001 census

Diabetes

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for diabetes specialists; and when he expects all posts to be filled.

John Hutton: The table shows the three month vacancy rate and three month vacancy number for consultants specialising in endocrinology and diabetes mellitus taken from the National Health Service vacancy survey. The vacancy rate of 2 per cent. is lower than the average vacancy rate across all specialties, which was 3.8 per cent. as at 31 March 2002.
	The number of consultants in endocrinology and diabetes mellitus has increased by 59 per cent. between September 1997 and March 2002. By September 2004, we expect to see further increases in the number of trained specialists of around 160, over a 2000 baseline, as part of the substantial planned expansion of the consultants workforce.
	
		Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002Consultant Vacancies in Endocrinology and diabetes mellitus in England 3 month vacancy rates, numbers and staff in post
		
			  3 month vacancy rate % 3 month vacancy number 
		
		
			 England (excluding HA staff) 2.0 9 
		
	
	3 month vacancy notes:
	1. Three month vacancy information is as at 31 March 2002
	2. Three month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more (whole time equivalents)
	3. Three month Vacancy Rates are three month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three month vacancies plus staff in post
	4. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place
	Source:Department of Health Vacancies Survey, March 2002
	The NHS vacancy survey has been conducted in March each year since 1999. The survey collects information on the number of posts, which trusts are actively trying to fill, which have been vacant for three months or more.

Drugs

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much needle exchange programmes have cost the NHS in each of the last three years.

Melanie Johnson: Needle exchange schemes are one of a number of harm reduction activities carried out in support of the Drug Strategy. Spend on needle exchange schemes is not separately identifiable but a total of £27 million of Government funding was spent on harm reduction activities in 2001–02. We do not have figures for the previous two years. Other harm reduction activities include work to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases, including HIV and Hepatitis B and C, and the Government's Action Plan to reduce drug related deaths.
	Substantial funding is also made available for needle exchange schemes from National Health Service mainstream resources but we have no way of estimating the actual amount, as this is based on local decision-making by drug action teams and primary care trusts.

Drugs Policy (Brain Report)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the relevance of the recommendations of the second Brain committee report to UK drugs policy.

Melanie Johnson: The second Brain Committee Report dates back to 1965, when the nature of drug use, both in the numbers misusing drugs and the types of drugs being taken were very different from today. Since then a number of reports into drug misuse have been written, particularly the Home Affairs Select Committee Third Report on the Government's Drugs Policy "Is it Working". A large number of the recommendations in this report have be accepted and used to inform the development of the Government's current policy. Therefore, we do not believe that an assessment of the recommendations in the Brain Report would be appropriate.

Elderly Care (Cleethorpes)

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding for care for the elderly living in Cleethorpes constituency.

Stephen Ladyman: It is for the North East Lincolnshire Council to decide, in the light of its priorities, how much to spend on social care for elderly people in the Cleethorpes constituency and how to make available the necessary funds. North East Lincolnshire's personal social services formula spending share increased by 6.1 per cent. in cash terms, to £34.925 million in 2003–04. In addition, the social care grants which North East Lincolnshire has been allocated for 2003–04 have increased substantially. In particular, the council has been allocated £527,000 from the new access and systems capacity grant and £155,000 from the delayed discharges grant.

Food Supplements

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements as stated in Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive are set on the basis of safety; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 20 June 2003
	Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive sets out principles for setting maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The Government's view is that these should be based on consideration of safety rather than supposed need, so as to neither unnecessarily limit consumer choice nor unduly restrict trade.
	The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is responsible for negotiations on this issue, takes every opportunity to press this case bilaterally with other Member States. In May, the FSA wrote to other Member States to advise them of the conclusions of the United Kingdom Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) on safe intakes of vitamins and minerals. The EVM's advice will form the basis of the UK's position when substantive discussions at EU level take place in due course.

Healthy Start Initiative

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a list of those focus groups consulted about the Healthy Start Initiative proposals, including (a) methods of recruitment, (b) reports of the meetings and (c) conclusions reached.

Melanie Johnson: Details of the focus groups are provided in Annex A of the report on the Healthy Start consultation exercise. A copy of the report, which summarises the outcome of the consultation, is available in the Library.
	Copies of the 500 individual responses to the consultation, including feedback from the focus groups, can be obtained on request from the Department at healthvstart@doh.gov.uk or from Healthy Start Team, Room 702, Wellington House, 133–155 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8UG.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has assessed on links between hormone replacement therapy and susceptibility to Alzheimer's; what research is being conducted into this in the UK; and what guidance has been issued to GPs and hospitals prescribing HRT about advising patients of the risks of dementia.

Melanie Johnson: The main Government agency for research into the causes and treatments of disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry via the Office for Science and Technology.
	The MRC WISDOM (Women's International Study of Long Duration Oestrogen after Menopause) trial was to assess the balance of risks and benefits of long-term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on conditions such as heart disease and dementia to allow women and their doctors to make informed choices about treatment. The decision was taken on 23 October 2002 to stop the trial for scientific and practical reasons.
	The Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) considered a pre-publication copy of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study (a USA study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002, demonstrating that HRT doubled the risk of dementia in women over 65 years) and gave advice that the information confirmed the known risks of long-term HRT. The CSM had issued advice on the safety of HRT in 1997 and did so again in 2002. Product information, including patient information leaflets, gives clear advice on the indications and risks of HRT. In the light of the WHI study, the Department of Health issued an urgent communication to primary care trust chief executives, medical directors of trusts and directors of public health to cascade to general practitioners, alerting them to the study's findings and to deal with queries from women who were concerned about HRT following publicity about the study.

Hospices

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospice beds have been taken out of service in the last year.

Melanie Johnson: We do not hold this information centrally.

Industrial Disease

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has collated on possible links between industrial processes and installations and specific cancers, broken down by (a) cancer type and (b) geographic region; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	For people occupationally exposed to industrial processes, I am advised by the Health and Safety Executive that the highest profile industrial processes definitively linked to cancer by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, are as follows.
	
		
			 Industrial process Cancer type 
		
		
			 Aluminium Production Lung, bladder 
			 Destructive distillation of coal Skin, bladder, respiratory tract 
			 Iron and steel founding Lung 
			 Boot and shoe manufacture and repair Nose 
			 Furniture and cabinet making Nose 
			 Manufacture of isopropyl alcohol Paranasal sinuses 
			 Production of paint and work as a painter (and decorator) Lung cancer 
			 Manufacture of rubber and rubber compounds Bladder 
			 Manufacture of dyes containing aromatic amines Bladder 
			 Manufacture of mustard gas Lung, upper respiratory tract 
		
	
	In addition, there are many agents and substances that have been proved to cause cancer, irrespective of industrial process. The highest profile of these are:
	
		
			 Agent or substance Cancer type 
		
		
			 Asbestos Lung, pleura, peritoneum 
			 Ionising radiation Wide variety including breast, leukaemia, lung, thyroid 
			 Benzene Leukaemia 
			 Chromium VI compounds Lung 
			 Nickel compounds Lung, nose 
			 Vinyl chloride Liver 
			 Coal tar pitches Lung 
			 Arsenic and arsenical compounds Skin, lung 
			 Ultraviolet radiation Skin 
			 Bischloromethyl ether Lung 
			 Mineral acid mists Larynx 
			 Diesel engine exhaust Lung 
			 Cadmium Lung 
		
	
	There are hundreds of other chemicals and processes for which there is some evidence of a link with cancer, but for which a causal association has not been confirmed.
	The Government have funded a number of studies by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College, London, of cancer rates in people living near industrial installations. Details of the cancers and the geographical regions studied are given in the published reports of these studies, details of which are given.
	Cancer incidence and mortality near the Baglan Bay petrochemical works, South Wales; by S. Sans, P. Elliott, I. Kleinschmidt, G. Shaddick, S. Pattenden, P. Walls, C. Grundy and H. Dolk, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (1995), volume 52, pages 217–224.
	Lympho-haematopoeitic malignancy around all industrial complexes that include major oil refineries in Great Britain; by P. Wilkinson, B. Thakrar, P. Walls, M. Landon, S. Falconer, C. Grundy and P. Elliott, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine (1999), volume 56, pages 577–80.
	Incidence of cancer of the larynx and lung near incinerators of waste solvents and oils in Great Britain; by P. Elliott, M. Hills, J. Beresford, I. Kleinschmidt, D. Jolley, S. Pattenden, L. Rodrigues, A. Westlake, G. Rose, published in the Lancet (1992), volume 339, pages 854–58.
	Angiosarcoma of the liver in Great Britain in proximity to vinyl chloride sites; by P. Elliott and I. Kleinschmidt, published in "Occupational and Environmental Medicine" (1997), volume 54, pages 14–18.
	Cancer incidence and mortality around the Pan Britannica Industries pesticide factory, Waltham Abbey; by P. Wilkinson, B. Thakrar, G. Shaddick, S. Stevenson, S. Pattenden, M. Landon, C. Grundy and P. Elliott, published in "Occupational and Environmental Medicine" (1997), volume 54, pages 101–107.
	In its third report, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) recommended an investigation of the geographical distribution of childhood cancer and leukaemia in Great Britain and how the pattern of cases around nuclear installations compares with the national pattern. This study in nearing completion. The database will also allow investigation of other environmental factors and their potential relevance to the temporal and spatial distribution of childhood cancer.

Medical Negligence

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total cost was to the NHS of medical negligence in each year since 1997, broken down by Government Office region; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Winterton: The total cost of medical negligence in each year since 1997, as prepared by the National Audit Office and presented in the national health service summarised accounts for England, is shown in the table. This information is not available by Government Office Region.
	
		£ millions
		
			  In year expenditure 
		
		
			  
			  
			 1996–97 235 
			 1997–98 144 
			 1998–99 221 
			 1999–2000 373 
			 2000–01 415 
			 2001–02 446 
		
	
	Note:
	Changes to accounting policies imposed by the NAO over the years mean that these amounts are not directly comparable.

Mobile Phones

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has commissioned on possible increased risks of contracting cancer arising from exposure to mobile phones.

Melanie Johnson: The Stewart Report in May 2000 comprehensively reviewed the possible health effects of radio frequency (RF) exposure from the use of mobile phones. The group's website address is www.iegmp.org.uk. Although experimental and epidemiological studies gave no indication of a risk of cancer on the basis of evidence available, the Stewart group noted the limited amount of time that phones had been in use and the need for more research.
	In response to the Stewart recommendations, the LINK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research (MTHR) Programme was set up with funding from both industry and Government, including the Department of Health. The MTHR website address is www.mthr.org.uk. The programme includes three population (human health) studies that are designed specifically to look for cancer incidence in relation to mobile phone use. Two of these form part of the multinational INTERPHONE study being conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Results from this are expected in 2004 and more information about this study is available on the IARC website at http://www.iarc.fr/paqeroot/UNIT5/RCA4.html
	A recommendation in the Stewart Report was that there should be a further comprehensive review of the science related to possible health effects of exposure to RF radiation within three years. The Government asked for this review to be carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and the board of NRPB asked for this to be undertaken by its independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation. This review is nearing completion and will be finalised by the end of 2003. It will include a review of the totality of scientific evidence related to concerns about the risk of cancer.

Out-patient Waiting Times

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for an out-patient appointment in England in the last five quarters for which figures are available.

John Hutton: The table shows information on the average waiting time for a first consultant outpatient appointment from a general practitioner referral.
	
		Average (median) waiting time for first outpatient appointment
		
			 Year Quarter Median waiting time (weeks) 
		
		
			 2001–02 4 7.58 
			 2002–03 1 7.03 
			 2002–03 2 7.15 
			 2002–03 3 7.22 
			 2002–03 4 7.34 
		
	
	Source:Department of Health form QM08

Prosthetics

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will relax the three year rule for issue of a CE mark for prosthesis so as to enable amputees to test new products while remaining supported by the NHS;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to allow an NHS provided and supported socket to be fitted to a J-leg prosthesis that is privately made and not CE marked to allow it to be tested in use by above knee amputees.

Rosie Winterton: Medical devices placed onto the United Kingdom market must comply with the provisions of the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 and be CE marked by their manufacturers to demonstrate this compliance. The Regulations impose various obligations upon manufacturers designed to protect patients and users by ensuring that devices are safe and fit for their intended purpose. There is no time limit imposed by the Regulations on when devices can be CE-marked.
	The Regulations allow non-CE-marked devices to be placed on the market in three specific circumstances. These are: where the device is custom-made for an individual patient on the basis of a prescription from a duly qualified medical practitioner; where the device is made available as part of a controlled clinical trial run by the manufacturer to gain evidence to support its eventual CE-marking; and for use for an individual patient where no suitable CE-marked device is available. In these latter two situations, the agreement of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, which is responsible for enforcing the Regulations, must be obtained in advance.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment procedure; and how many RIAs have been reviewed in respect of the Department over the last year.

Rosie Winterton: A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) must be completed for all policy proposals that have a potential impact on businesses, charities or the voluntary sector. It includes details of the arrangements for monitoring and evaluating policy proposals.
	Information on the number of RIAs that have been reviewed in respect of the Department in the last year is not held.
	From this year the National Audit Office (NAO) has a new role in independently evaluating a selection of RIAs. In its Annual Report, published in February 2003, the better regulation task force put forward suggestions of RIAs for the NAO to review.
	The NAO review will focus on the quality of analysis in the RIAs and the thoroughness with which the RIAs have been undertaken. The findings and recommendations of best practice will be fed back to departments. It will play a valuable part in driving up standards of RIAs.

Waiting Lists/Times

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines the NHS Information Agency issues about the adjustment of waiting time statistics to reflect periods of suspension from a list where a patient indicates that they may be away on holiday.

John Hutton: When a patient is away on holiday and has informed the hospital beforehand, the time the patient is away on holiday counts as a period of suspension for social reasons. A patient cannot be classed as suspended if they have already agreed a date to come in.
	The waiting time is calculated from the decision to admit date to admission date or end of reporting period and any periods of suspension deducted from the total length of wait.
	This guidance on social suspensions pre-dates this Government coming to power in 1997.
	Further information can be found on the NHS Information Authority's website at www.nhsia.nhs.uk/datastandards/paqes/ddm/index.htm.

Welfare Foods Scheme

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the administrative costs of the Welfare Foods Scheme;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the take-up of the Welfare Foods Scheme;
	(3)  what assessment has been made of the likely take-up of schemes to provide Welfare Foods under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, Part 5;
	(4)  what assessment has been made of administrative costs of the Welfare Foods Scheme under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill, Part 5.

Melanie Johnson: The Welfare Food Scheme currently costs £142 million per annum. Administration costs total £17 million, including a £7 million block allocation to the National Health Service.
	An assessment of take-up is provided in Chapter 6 of Report 51: Scientific Review of the Welfare Food Scheme by the Panel on Child and Maternal Nutrition of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (Ref: DH RSS51, 2002), copies of which are available in the Library.
	Proposals for reform were published for consultation in October 2002 and secured wide support. Details of the reformed scheme will be published by the end of 2003, and draft regulations will be consulted on in 2004.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances income related benefits are payable to families where one parent is abroad for a period of time.

Maria Eagle: Entitlement will depend on whether a family had an existing claim to benefit when one of the parents went abroad.
	To be entitled to income support a person must live in Great Britain. In some circumstances a person already in receipt of income support who goes abroad for a temporary period may be paid benefit for the first four or eight weeks of their absence from the country depending on the reasons for the absence.
	If one parent leaves Great Britain temporarily and is absent for more than four or eight weeks but less than 52 weeks the remaining parent can continue to claim income support. The couple will continue to be treated as a couple and the conditions of entitlement must continue to be met by the parent in Great Britain and the parent absent from the UK. The parent remaining in Great Britain is paid as a lone parent and receives any relevant premiums. If the parent absent from the UK has a change of circumstances this must be reported and might affect the claim to income support.
	If the family was not claiming income support prior to the absence of one parent the remaining parent can make a claim to income support. The remaining parent would have to satisfy the conditions of entitlement and if other parent's absence was temporary they would still be classed as a couple so the remaining parent would not be treated as a lone parent.
	Full details of the rules applying to absences abroad are contained in the Decision Makers Guide, Volume 2, paragraphs 071940–071948 and Volume 4, paragraphs 24548–24561, copies of which are available in the Library.

Benefits

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) an asylum seeking couple with two children and (b) a couple with two children in receipt of income support and the new child tax credit receive in total each week in state benefits.

Maria Eagle: Since 3 April 2000, asylum seekers cannot claim social security benefits but instead receive accommodation and a cash allowance from the Home Office's National Asylum Support Service (NASS). The cash allowance is the equivalent of up to 70 per cent. of the income support personal allowance.
	The exact amount a couple with two children would receive under the NASS scheme or income support will depend on the particular circumstances of each case. However, the basic rates of payment are as follows.
	An asylum seeking couple with two children would be entitled to £137.03 a week under the NASS scheme. They may also receive an additional payment of £50 per person for every six months for which they remain eligible for support. Those families in NASS accommodation have their accommodation and services provided for. They also receive certain travel costs associated with their asylum claim.
	A couple who are not claiming asylum, both aged over 18, with two children aged under 16, would be entitlement to £178.50 income support per week. They could also receive housing benefit and council tax benefit. From 6 April 2003 to 5 April -2004, child tax credit will be taken into account on a pound-for-pound basis when assessing entitlement to income support.

Benefits

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of (a) jobseeker's allowance and (b) income support in Scotland, broken down by local authority.

Maria Eagle: The information has been placed in the Library.

Benefits

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what measures have been taken to reduce cases of overpayment of benefits; what action is taken when a recipient of benefits is overpaid; and how long after a recipient has been overpaid the Department will continue to seek a return of money;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the financial problems experienced by recipients of benefits overpayments when they have benefits reduced at a later date to compensate for overpayment; and how this can be limited;
	(3)  what action can be taken by persons who have been repeatedly overpaid benefits that face financial and emotional stresses as a result of having to repay monies; and if compensation will be paid to them for mistakes made by the Department.

Maria Eagle: We are making great efforts to reduce overpayments by ensuring that the right benefit is paid to the right person right from the start. Latest figures show that we have reduced the level of error and fraud in income support and jobseeker's allowance by 24 per cent. since 1998.
	An overpayment of benefit may be recoverable if it is decided that it has been caused by misrepresentation or failure to disclose a material fact by a benefit recipient. Recovery may also be sought if the overpayment has been caused by the error or omission of an official, but only where it is considered reasonable to assume that the recipient should have realised that they had been overpaid.
	The Department can recover the overpayment from on-going benefit in cases of misrepresentation or failure to disclose a material fact by the benefit recipient. Where benefit is no longer in payment or the overpayment is a result of official error, the customer will be invited to repay the amount overpaid. Failure to do so may result in the Department seeking recovery through civil action. If a benefit recipient states that recovery of an overpayment from their benefit would cause hardship, officials will consider on a case-by-case basis whether the customer's weekly outgoings merit recovery at a reduced rate.
	There is no time limit for the recovery of overpayments by deductions from benefit. Where recovery is through court action, there are time limits of 20 years from the date of the overpayment decision in Scotland, and six years from the last contact with the customer in England and Wales.
	Under the terms of the Department's scheme for financial redress for maladministration, a consolatory payment may be made to compensate a customer who suffers gross inconvenience or severe distress as a result of official errors. Details of the Department's scheme can be found in the guide, "Financial Redress for Maladministration" (Revised April 2003), a copy of which is in the Library. It is also available in every DWP office for the general public to read upon request and in the Publications section of the DWP internet site at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk

Child Support

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the use of the appeals process by people to delay payments required of them by the Child Support Agency.

Maria Eagle: A non-resident parent's liability to pay maintenance is not affected by an outstanding appeal. Action to collect existing liability will normally continue pending the outcome of an appeal.

Councillors' Expenses

Candy Atherton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact receiving expenses has on a councillor's application for income support; and if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on local councillors' expenses.

Maria Eagle: A local authority councillors' work is not treated as remunerative work for assessment purposes. However, councillors' allowances and expenses may be taken into account as income, thus reducing the amount of benefit they may receive.
	When assessing a claim for income support, any allowances paid for necessary expenses are not treated as income and are disregarded. Any allowances paid for a councillor's time are regarded as income, and are taken into account after applying appropriate disregards.
	Councillors are entitled to some allowances whether they are claimed or not. If a councillor has not claimed an allowance they could expect to receive, it is treated as notional income and taken into account as if it had actually been paid.
	Further details on the treatment of local councillors' earnings can be found in the "Decision Makers Guide", Volume 3 (paragraph 15096); Volume 4 (paragraph 20485); and Volume 5 (paragraph 26066), which is available in the Library.

Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are involved, and what conclusions have been reached in the Job Retention and Rehabilitation pilots.

Des Browne: The Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot is a research project that aims to test the effectiveness of three different ways of helping people to get back to, and remain in, work. The pilot is open to employed and self-employed volunteers who have been off work for at least six weeks but no longer than 26 weeks.
	As the pilot went live on 1 April this year, it is too early to draw any conclusions at this stage.

National Savings

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether pensions and benefits can be paid directly into National Savings accounts.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 23 June 2003
	There are three types of National Savings accounts: Investment, Ordinary and Individual Savings Account. Of these, only the Investment Account can accept direct payment of pensions and benefits.

Pension Credit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will write to men aged 60 to 64 as part of his campaign to inform them of possible entitlement to the pension credit.

Malcolm Wicks: The Pension Service has begun to write to potentially eligible households to explain pension credit and to invite applications. Men aged 60 to 64 are included in this process.

Pension Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on levels of staff turnover in the Pension Service.

Malcolm Wicks: In the year to April 2003, 823 staff left The Pension Service. This equates to 6.1 per cent. turnover.
	The level of leavers is considered relatively low when taking into account that The Pension Service is comparatively a new organisation, where 3,750 staff were recruited externally in the past year.

Pension Service

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the incidence of stress-related illness among Pension Service staff.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not available. We are currently developing existing staff guidance to further improve staff awareness of occupational stress and how this may be prevented and managed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Explosive Device (Londonderry)

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent interception by the Police Service of Northern Ireland of an explosive device in Londonderry.

Jane Kennedy: I congratulate the police on their interception of the bomb in Londonderry last weekend. Their alertness and quick actions prevented serious injury or loss of life. I utterly condemn this attempt by dissidents to derail the political process through violence and terror.

Decommissioning

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the extent of verifiable decommissioning of illegally held weapons and explosives in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: There have been three acts of decommissioning to date; one by the Loyalist Volunteer Force and two by the Provisional IRA. Each has been verified by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning in accordance with the Government's scheme and regulations.

Decommissioning

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made on decommissioning.

Jane Kennedy: To date there have been three acts of decommissioning carried out by paramilitary organisations, one by the Loyalist Volunteer Force and two by the Provisional IRA. In 2002 the UVF, UDA and Provisional IRA broke off contact with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. However, in 2003 the Provisional IRA resumed contact and the Loyalist Commission, along with the UDA representatives, met the IICD. The Prime Minister stated clearly in his speech on 1 May 2003 that an undertaking is needed that all arms will be put beyond use through the IICD.

Decommissioning

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Good Friday agreement in achieving the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons.

Jane Kennedy: It is important that we do not lose sight of the fact that two acts of decommissioning by the Provisional IRA and one by the Loyalist Volunteer Force have taken place since the Agreement. That was the start of a process that must continue until all the apparatus of terrorism, in all its forms, is dismantled. The Prime Minister stated clearly in his speech on 1 May 2003 that an undertaking is needed that all arms will be put beyond use through the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

Republican Terrorism

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of terrorist activity by republican organisations.

Jane Kennedy: Despite the recent activity by dissidents, our overall judgment is that the ceasefire of the IRA remains in place. It is time for republicanism to complete that final, unambiguous transition to democratic politics.

Republican Terrorism

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the overlap between membership of the IRA and other republican terrorist organisations.

Jane Kennedy: I cannot comment on matters of national security and intelligence.

Good Friday Agreement

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further progress has been made towards the restoration of the political institutions and the implementation of outstanding elements of the Good Friday agreement.

Paul Murphy: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer).

Ceasefire Monitoring Body

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in appointing the members of the ceasefire monitoring body.

Paul Murphy: Both we and the Irish Government are clear that the Independent Monitoring Body is a central aspect of our proposals to bring about the restoration of trust and confidence in Northern Ireland. We hope to make swift progress on its establishment, including the appointment of its membership.

Agriculture

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for the agriculture industry in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The Government are negotiating hard for a comprehensive reform of the EU Common Agricultural Policy which will put the agricultural industry on a sustainable footing, economically, socially and environmentally. It is implementing a comprehensive range of measures arising out of the Vision exercise to help the Northern Ireland industry and will be providing an additional £33 million over the next three years in support of these initiatives. It is also moving forward on an animal health strategy to help underpin the future viability of the livestock sector and is engaging in an ambitious modernisation agenda within the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure that its structures and services are best positioned to help the industry move forward.

Organised Crime

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on measures to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: The Government are leading the fight against organised crime in Northern Ireland through the work of the Organised Crime Task Force which brings the various responsible agencies together to set the strategic priorities for concerted multi agency action.
	The multi agency approach has made a significant impact and as a result of law enforcement activity 75 networks were disrupted or dismantled during the past year.

South Strand

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in the South Strand area.

Jane Kennedy: The interfaces between protestant and catholic communities have been quiet, although tension continues and the potential for conflict simmers under the surface. The additional physical security measures, identified following the sustained violence last summer, have now been completed. In addition, five new CCTV cameras have been erected at interface locations. These measures have provided some reassurance to the beleaguered communities and aided policing in the area.

Acute Hospitals

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to ensure that the Health Service in Northern Ireland has sufficient resources to meet demand at each of the acute hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The overall level of resources for the Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) is planned as part of the annual Budget process. Following the last Budget, the HPSS baseline was set at £3,033.3 million for 2003–04—an exceptional increase of some 15 per cent. on the previous year. The bulk of this money is allocated to the four area Boards, who are responsible for funding individual Trusts for the hospital and other services that they provide to the local population.

Asylum Seekers

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful applications for asylum there were in Northern Ireland in 2002; and how many of those unsuccessful applicants have left the country.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on asylum applications in Northern Ireland is unavailable. Asylum applications data are not available at regional level except by port of application. Information on initial decision outcomes, appeals outcomes, and removals relates to the UK as a whole and is not available by region of application and therefore the requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records. Information on the numbers of failed asylum seekers who have left Northern Ireland is not available, because some individuals leave the UK without informing the Immigration Service.

Disabled Children (North Antrim)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what respite care facilities are available to support children with disabilities within the East Antrim constituency.

Angela Smith: A range of respite services to support children with disabilities in the East Antrim area are available, including Whitehaven Respite Unit, Whitehead, the Challenge Unit, Ballymena and a family based respite scheme in Carrickfergus/Newtownabbey.
	The development of respite care services is included in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety's Priorities for Action 2003–04. Additional funding has been allocated for this purpose.

Flooding Assessment Report(Carrickfergus and Newtonabbey)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the recommendations from the WS Atkins Flooding Assessment Report, covering areas of Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey, will be published.

Ian Pearson: I am pleased to confirm that the preliminary Flooding Assessment Report, sponsored jointly by DARD Rivers Agency and DRD Roads and Water Services, is now complete. Officials from each Agency are prepared to discuss the recommendations with interested organisations and Rivers Agency has already written to Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey borough councils offering to give a joint presentation on the Report and the way forward.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trained general practitioners have provided locum cover in primary care in the past 12 months in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Information is not held centrally on the number of general practitioners who have provided locum cover in primary care. There are currently approximately 160 trained GPs available to provide locum cover.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to his answer of 9 June 2003, Official Report, column 698W, on GPs, how many vacancies exist among the permanent general practice posts; and how many have required locum cover for more than six weeks in the past 12 months.

Angela Smith: The Department does not hold information on vacancies in multi-handed GP practices.
	In the case of a vacancy in a single-handed GP practice the relevant Health and Social Services Board would be responsible for the arrangement of locum cover until a replacement is appointed. In the last 12 months there has been one such case, which lasted more than six weeks.
	Selection of a doctor for partnership in a multi-handed GP Practice is a matter for that practice and information about locum cover for such posts is not held centrally.

Historic Buildings

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the second survey of historic buildings in Northern Ireland; how many properties have been delisted through the survey; and how many have been added to the listed stock.

Angela Smith: Since the Second Survey began in 1997, 98 electoral wards in Northern Ireland have been surveyed by contractors working on behalf of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) of the Department of the Environment. The findings in respect of 58 of these wards have been processed by EHS to date, resulting in 157 delistings and 91 new listings.
	Further information on the results of the Second Survey is available on the EHS website (www.ehsni.gov.uk)

Hospital Beds

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many acute hospital beds there were in Northern Ireland on 1 January (a) 1983, (b) 1993, (c) 2002 and (d) 2003.

Angela Smith: The average numbers of available acute hospital beds are provided in the table.
	
		
			  Average number of acute beds 
		
		
			 1983 7,404.3 
			 1993 5,218.2 
			 2002 4,292.6 
			 2003 4,351.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures for 1983 are the average number available across the year.
	2. Figures for 1993, 2002 and 2003 are the average number available in the quarter from 1 January to 31 March.
	3. Figures for 2003 are provisional.
	4. Figures on the average number of available beds along with other information on hospital activity in Northern Ireland are published each September in the Department's annual Hospital Statistics publication. This is available in the House of Commons Library and from the Department's website: http://www. dhsspsni.gov.uk/stats&research/order.html
	The decrease in the average number of acute beds reflects the greater number of procedures undertaken as day cases, higher occupancy rates and a reduction in the average length of stay.
	The average number of available beds refers only to those in wards which are open overnight, measured at midnight. Hospitals may also have a number of beds in wards which are only open during the day. Beds reserved for day care admission or regular day admission are not included.
	The figures for 1983 may not be entirely consistent with those for later years as the descriptions of the specialties that make up the acute programme of care have changed.

Hospital Treatment

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his policy is on the treatment of NHS patients from Northern Ireland in the Republic of Ireland.

Angela Smith: I am happy, in principle, to draw on hospital services available in the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the interests of patients. The health and social services already make very good use of services in Dublin, Glasgow, London, and other centres, as part of the overall services available to patients. In doing so, of course, there is the issue of how that impacts on the overall financial resources available to services here. There needs to be an appropriate balance to ensure that services which people need are accessible and readily available.

Irish-medium Schools

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children attend Northern Ireland's Irish medium schools; how many attended in each of the last five years; and what the estimated number of children expected to attend is for each of the next ten years, including annual percentage changes.

Jane Kennedy: Information on the number of children expected to attend Irish Medium schools in the next 10 years is not available. Information for this year and the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Number Change from previous year (%) 
		
		
			 1997–98 1,375 +18.7 
			 1998–99 1,512 +9.6 
			 1999–2000 1,657 +9.6 
			 2000–01 1,846 +11.4 
			 2001–02 1,971 +6.8 
			 2002–03 2,019 +2.4

Nuts

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to ban the sale of products containing nuts in hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has no formal policy about the sale of nuts within the hospital environment. I have no plans at present, therefore, to ban the sale of nuts in hospitals here.

Police Ombudsman

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints have been made against the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland's investigators; what the nature of each complaint was; and what action has been taken in respect of each complaint.

Jane Kennedy: The Police Ombudsman has advised that, to date, 22 formal complaints have been made against her investigators, three from members of the public and 19 from police officers. It is not the policy for the Police Ombudsman to comment on the details of each complaint. However complaints concern issues such as: the length and nature of the investigation process, the outcome of the process not meeting expectations, and other administrative issues. The action taken in response to a complaint can range from amendments to procedures, through to disciplinary action against staff under the Police Ombudsman's internal disciplinary policy.

Police Ombudsman

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland have been dismissed; and what the reasons were.

Jane Kennedy: The Police Ombudsman has advised that, to date, two members of staff have been dismissed following internal disciplinary investigations. Due to legal and confidential reasons, the Police Ombudsman does not comment on the specific details of each case.

Primary and Post-primary Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many teachers are expected to be employed in (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools in Northern Ireland in each of the next 10 years, including annual percentage changes in each school sector.

Jane Kennedy: The Department does not project pupil teacher ratios. Accordingly figures on the number of teachers expected to be employed in each of the next 10 years are not available.

Primary and Post-primary Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children are expected to attend (a) primary and (b) post-primary schools in Northern Ireland for each of the next 10 years, including annual percentage changes in each school sector.

Jane Kennedy: Projected figures are available only up to 2008–09. These are as follows:
	
		
			   Post-primary schools 
			  Primary schools Grammar Secondary 
		
		
			 2003–04 171,500 63,000 89,900 
			 Change(21) -1.5 -0.2 -3.0 
			 2004–05 169,100 63,000 87,600 
			 Change(21) -1.4 0 -2.6 
			 2005–06 166,400 63,000 85,600 
			 Change(21) -1.6 0 -2.3 
			 2006–07 163,000 62,900 83,500 
			 Change(21) -1.6 -0.2 -2.5 
			 2007–08 161,500 63,000 81,000 
			 Change(21) -1.4 0.2 -3 
			 2008–09 158,200 63,000 79,700 
			 Change(21) -2 0 -1.6 
		
	
	(21) Percentage from previous year

Primary and Post-primary Education

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason parents are not represented on the Costello working group on post-primary education; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Department of Education gathered parents' views on the Burns' Report through response forms issued to every household in Northern Ireland and further consulted parents on the way forward through a series of focus groups. The clear message from the focus groups was that parents were satisfied that extensive consultation had taken place and the Department should proceed with developing proposals based on the emerging consensus. The Working Group comprises the main representative organisations and managing authorities that will be responsible for developing and implementing future arrangements and has been charged with taking account of the responses to the consultation on the Burns' Report and providing advice on options for future arrangements for post-primary education.
	with disabilities.

School Buses

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to tackle overcrowding on school buses in Northern Ireland; and what plans he has to make the wearing of seatbelts compulsory on these buses.

Jane Kennedy: Safety issues relating to school buses were the subject of an extensive inquiry instigated by the Northern Ireland Assembly's Environment Committee. The Department of the Environment is at present engaged in the early stages of a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the recommendations made by the Committee, including the wearing of seatbelts and issues related to overcrowding. The way forward will be considered in light of the findings arising from this exercise.

Water Fluoridation

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the use of fluoride in the water supply in Northern Ireland; and what plans he has to extend such use.

Angela Smith: Fluoridation is recognised as a safe and effective means of preventing dental decay. Under the Water (Fluoridation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1987, Health and Social Services Boards can decide whether or not to apply to the Department of Regional Development for the introduction of fluoridation schemes following local consultation and approval from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. There are, however, no schemes here at present and I am not aware of current plans in any Board area to apply for a scheme.

Water Meters

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was raised in the last financial year in Northern Ireland through water meters.

John Spellar: £32.8 million.

Water Meters

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the estimated cost is of installing water meters into each residential home in Northern Ireland; and how long it would take.

John Spellar: It is estimated that it would cost in the region of £120 million, and take at least some five to 10 years, to install water meters in all domestic properties in Northern Ireland.

Water Meters

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) residential properties and (b) commercial properties have water meters installed in Northern Ireland.

John Spellar: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) Residential properties
	Water meters are not installed in properties in Northern Ireland, which are used exclusively for domestic purposes. However around 32,000 properties, which have a mixture of domestic and business use, are metered.
	(b) Commercial properties
	Around 72,000T properties are metered in Northern Ireland. Almost 7,300 of these would be classified as commercial. The remainder are mainly agricultural, industrial, and public sector.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Audit Commission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many conferences were organised by the Audit Commission in each of the last five years; and what the cost of each was.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Number of conferences held by the Commission Total net cost of conferences (at constant 2001–02 prices) (£) Average cost of each conference (£) 
		
		
			 1997–98 21 171,800 8,180 
			 1998–99 22 184,300 8,380 
			 1999–2000 50 269,100 5,380 
			 2000–01 22 94,100 4,280 
			 2001–02 23 137,000 5,960 
		
	
	The majority of conferences arranged by the Audit Commission are self-financed from fees paid by delegates. The Commission also however arranges a number of free conferences and seminars with the aim of disseminating the findings of their work to target audiences or to consult relevant stakeholders.

Charter Flights (Ministers)

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions aircraft have been chartered for (a) himself and (b) other Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Ministers; when each charter took place; what the cost was; and what aircraft was used in each case.

Yvette Cooper: A helicopter was chartered for my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister to view the Thames Gateway on 16 January 2003 at a cost of £4,658.63. He was accompanied by Sir Sandy Brace Lockhart, leader of Kent county council.
	A helicopter was also chartered for my right hon. Friend, Lord Rooker to view the Thames Gateway on 23 September 2002. He was accompanied by David Watts, Director of Technical Services at Southend on Sea borough council. On this occasion, Southend-on-Sea borough council met the cost.
	Use of a helicopter was considered to be the only viable way of viewing the complete Thames Gateway in order to get an idea of the scale of the potential development.

Departmental Website

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much it cost to develop the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Best Value Performance Indicators website.

Yvette Cooper: The Best Value Performance Indicators website (www.bvpi.gov.uk) puts a wide range of information into the public domain and demonstrates our commitment to facilitating better public understanding of local service delivery. The information it holds includes Best Value Performance Indicator data for 2000–01 and 2001–02, Comprehensive Performance Assessment scores for upper-tier authorities, data from the Index of Multiple Deprivation, and details of authorities that have been designated as Neighbourhood Renewal Fund areas. There is a statutory requirement on local authorities to publish their BVPI data and the website brings this information together into one easily accessible place. The data can be analysed interactively enabling users, including local authorities and the general public, to compare performance between authorities and over a period of time. On average, the website receives over 130,000 hits per month.
	The contract to develop the Best Value Performance Indicators website in its current format was awarded in November 2001 following a competitive tender and amounted to £62,450.

Energy Efficiency

Roger Williams: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what targets his Department has for improving energy efficiency; and how he intends to achieve these targets.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has adopted the cross government interim target of 1 per cent. per annum reduction in (weather-corrected) CO2 emissions from its estate, relative to the base-year 1999–2000. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs will agree new targets for 2010, based on benchmarking the performance of individual buildings where possible by the end of the year.
	This approach should provide central and local energy managers with an effective management tool to identify the best opportunities for efficiency improvements. Detailed measures will be a matter for individual circumstances.

Government Agencies

Vera Baird: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy on the role of devolving Government agencies to the regions as a tool of regeneration.

Yvette Cooper: The Government recognise that decisions made at the regional level can take better account of the unique opportunities and challenges faced by an individual region. This can lead to improvements both for the region in question and the country as a whole.
	The Government have already begun to implement its strategy of decentralisation, strengthening the regional tier to provide the catalysts for growth in every region. In particular:
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has created eight Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and the London Development Agency to promote economic development and regeneration in the regions. The RDAs have significant powers, funding and flexibility to allow them to develop and deliver tailored economic strategies to secure better and more sustainable economic performance and regeneration for their region;
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has encouraged and facilitated the creation of voluntary, multi-party regional chambers in all of the English regions (outside London), made up of local authority and other stakeholder representatives, to contribute to regional economic strategies and scrutinise their delivery. All eight chambers will take on the role of the regional planning body for their region, ensuring closer integration with other regional strategies, in particular the regional economic strategy;
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has improved the delivery of central Government activity in the English regions by bringing more responsibilities into the ambit of the Government Offices for the Regions, and by strengthening the capacity of these offices;
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has strengthened the role of local authorities, for example, through the introduction of Business Planning Zones, and more generally, through the Government's localism agenda;
	A Rural Affairs Forum, supported by eight regional forums, has been formed to bring together rural stakeholders to contribute to the development of rural policies at national level;
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has recently announced that regional housing boards will be established in England, involving key stakeholders in the region;
	My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 16 June 2003 that the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber would proceed towards referendums for elected assemblies. Assemblies will have powers to make a difference in key areas such as jobs, planning, housing, transport, culture and environment. Their block grant will give them freedom to allocate spending according to regional priorities. Regional Development Agencies will be accountable to their elected assemblies;
	In his 2003 Budget speech, the Chancellor asked Sir Michael Lyons, Professor of Public Policy at Birmingham University, to make recommendations for the relocation of civil service and other public sector workers in the light of the need to improve delivery and efficiency of public services, and the regional balance of economic activity. This review will take account of updated Government departmental pay and work force strategies. Sir Michael Lyons will make his recommendations by the end of the year, in time to inform the next Spending Review. These actions will strengthen the building blocks for economic growth and regeneration in all regions and give the regions powers to address their particular needs.

Local Elections

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many candidates stood for election in the recent local parish and town council election; and how many candidates stood in the 1999 election.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Local Government Funding

Valerie Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the Government's policy is on ring-fenced funding for local government;
	(2)  what target he has for reducing the amount of local government funding which is ring-fenced.

Nick Raynsford: The Government's policy on ring-fencing of grant to local authorities was set out in the White Paper, Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services of December 2001 (Ref: CM5237). While recognising that ring-fencing can be an important tool for bringing about change, we are aware that a proliferation of ring-fenced grants erodes local discretion and diverts resources on bureaucracy. So our policy is to reduce the total of ring-fenced grants.
	In the 'Freedoms and Flexibilities' paper of 26 November 2002 we made it clear that for revenue funding councils awarded 'excellent' and for capital funding councils awarded 'excellent' or 'good' would receive all funding as unfenced grants, except for those grants passported to schools.
	On current plans, revenue ring-fencing will be less than 10 per cent. by the financial year 2005–06. For capital funding, the target is to increase the level of resources funded through the unfenced Single Capital Pot to two thirds of relevant finance.

Pay Audits

Angela Eagle: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made on completing a pay audit in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies to measure any disadvantage in terms of remuneration for (a) women, (b) ethnic minorities and (c) people with disabilities; and if he will publish the results of such an audit.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and its agencies have completed the review of their pay systems encompassing women, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. Action plans for each have been produced. These will be placed in the Library of the House in due course after full consideration has been given to the issues identified.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's non-departmental public bodies have carried out reviews as a matter of good practice. Summaries of the main findings of these will be published after consideration has been given to any issues identified.

Poulton

Geraldine Smith: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much Government funding has been allocated via the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder Scheme to the Poulton ward in Morecambe.

Yvette Cooper: The Poulton Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder received funding of £134,186 in 2001–02 and of £518,926 in 2002–03. It has authorisation to spend up to a maximum of £614,154 in 2003–04. Under the provisions of SR2002, the Pathfinder has an overall maximum funding level of £2.1million for the period 2002–05. Subject to the provisions of SR 2004 and 2006, the Pathfinder will be eligible to further funding up to a maximum of £1.4 million in the period 2005–09.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps the Department has taken to publicise its Public Service Agreement targets; and at what cost to public funds.

Yvette Cooper: Information on Public Service Agreement targets is published on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website and included in routine publications such as our Annual Report and Autumn Performance Report, which involves no significant extra cost.

Regional Assemblies

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what support he received from respondents to the soundings exercise from or about Cornwall and Scilly (a) in favour of a South West Assembly and (b) in favour of a Cornish Assembly.

Nick Raynsford: The soundings exercise was to establish information, evidence and views on interest in a referendum about whether to establish an elected regional assembly on existing Government Office boundaries. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has only recorded information relevant to those questions and so did not record views for or against any assembly.

Regional Assemblies

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in what circumstances and at what stage he plans to review the boundaries of the current Government-defined regions for the purpose of future discussions about directly elected Regional Assemblies.

Nick Raynsford: As made clear in the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice", the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has not ruled out in the longer term the possibility of adopting boundaries for regional assemblies that do not follow the existing boundaries. However we have no plans to amend boundaries in the short to medium term. Referendums on elected regional assemblies in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions will be based on Existing Government Office Regions. Any future proposals to change regional boundaries would follow the existing mechanism for changing Regional Development Agency (RDA) boundaries and would be the subject of legislative procedure in the Bill to establish elected assemblies. We will introduce a Bill when at least one region has voted to establish an assembly and parliamentary time allows.

Regional Assemblies

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to each consultation his Department has had on Government policy to create regional assemblies, how many responses from or about Cornwall and Scilly he has received (a) in total, (b) which support the option of a referendum on a Cornish Assembly, (c) which support a proposition for a Cornish Assembly, (d) which support the option of having a referendum on a South West Assembly, (e) which support a South West Assembly, (f) which oppose any referendum and (g) which oppose the creation of any directly planned assembly.

Nick Raynsford: Not all of the information requested is available. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received 130 written and e-mailed responses to the White Paper, "Your Region, Your Choice" that expressed an opinion on a Cornish Assembly. Of these, 122 supported either a Cornish Assembly or a referendum for a Cornish Assembly, while eight opposed any form of Cornish Assembly. We also received 1,636 postcards in support of the Cornish Constitutional campaign for a referendum on a Cornish Assembly.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister received 187 relevant responses to the soundings exercise to determine the level of interest in a referendum on establishing an elected regional assembly from individuals and organisations that identified themselves as coming from Cornwall or Scilly. Of these, 55 supported a referendum on an elected South West Assembly, and 129 opposed such a referendum. 335 pre-printed responses that called for a referendum on a Cornish Assembly were received.

Regulatory Bodies

Tim Yeo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the (a) number of staff employed by and (b) budget of each regulatory body for which his Department is responsible in each year since 1997.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sponsors two executive non-departmental public bodies that have regulatory functions—the Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation.
	The annual accounts for both the Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation, which include information on the number of staff employed, for each year since 1997 are available in the Library of the House.

Right to Buy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria were used to decide which local authorities in the South East Region could temporarily suspend the Right to Buy; and which have been granted this power.

Keith Hill: There has been no suspension of the Right to Buy in any area, but nine local areas in the South East Region were included in the Housing (Right to Buy) (Limits on Discount) (Amendment) Order 2003—Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 498—which came into effect on 27 March 2003. These areas were
	Chiltern;
	Epsom and Ewell;
	Hart;
	Oxford;
	Reading;
	Reigate and Banstead;
	Tonbridge and Malling;
	Vale of White Horse; and
	West Berkshire.
	The Order lowered the maximum Right to Buy discount available to tenants from £38,000 to £16,000 in 41 areas under the greatest housing market pressure as evidenced by high levels of homelessness and high local house prices. This was determined on the basis of two measures:
	homelessness—reflecting high demand for social housing. Using information provided by local authorities themselves in their regular Housing Investment Programme returns, the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation was compared with the number of local authority lettings and nominations to Registered Social Landlord dwellings given to households who were not homeless. A high value for this ratio indicates high homelessness and/or a low number of available lettings; and
	house prices—reflecting the demand for private housing and affordability. The Land Registry lower quartile house price for the third quarter of 2002 was used, to indicate likely availability for first time buyers.
	The model was rerun subsequently to take into account local earnings information. The effect was marginal and insufficient to justify further changes.

Social Exclusion and Urban Policy Units

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how many conferences have been organised by the (a) Social Exclusion Unit and (b) Urban Policy Unit in each year since each was established; and what the cost of each was.

Yvette Cooper: The number and cost of conferences organised by the Social Exclusion Unit are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of events Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000 36 154,815 
			 2001 10 20,678 
			 2002 1 1,000 
			 2003 3 17,500 
		
	
	The number and cost of conferences organised by the Urban Policy Unit are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of events Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000 10 32,337 
			 2001 10 24,604 
			 2002 4 (22)472,832 
		
	
	(22) Includes an estimated £450,000 net cost for Urban Summit—attended by over 1,600 delegates—after taking account of income from ticket sales, sponsorship and exhibition sales. This includes the cost of the contractors, consultants and agency staff recruited to work on Summit organisation. Urban Summit accounts are currently being finalised.

Social Exclusion and Urban Policy Units

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many publications have been issued by the (a) Social Exclusion Unit and (b) Urban Policy Unit in each year since establishment; and what the cost was of each.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested on the number and cost of publications issued by the Social Exclusion Unit and Urban Policy Units are tabled as follows:
	
		Social exclusion unit
		
			  Number of publications Cost (£) 
		
		
			 1998 3 55,412 
			 1999 1 48,169 
			 2000 10 242,512 
			 2001 6 243,288 
			 2002 8 234,240 
			 2003 3 102,562 
		
	
	
		Urban policy unit
		
			  Number of publications Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2000–01 9 92,307 
			 2001–02 8 19,172 
			 2002–03 31 105,589 
			 2003–04 2 2,915

Timber

Edward Davey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether his Department's procurement policy includes timber used on and in the construction of departmental building projects; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: It is the policy of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister to purchase only timber and timber products from sustainable and legal sources. This policy is in line with commitment made by the UK Government and is as set down in the departmental Greening Operations Policy Statement, published in October 2002.
	This policy is applied to construction projects by including a Model Contract Specification Clause for timber procurement within the works specification.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Inquests (Prescribed Drugs)

Patsy Calton: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will broaden the remit of inquests so that coroners can take into account the influence of prescribed drugs in suicide.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	The Courts have confirmed that, under the current law, the purpose of an inquest is to ascertain how the deceased came by a violent or unnatural death. It is a matter for the coroner to decide on the scope of the investigation but in most cases coroners will take evidence of what drugs were prescribed and commission tests for the presence of drugs which may have been a factor in a death apparently due to self harm.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Court Dress

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what plans he has to review court dress; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The consultation paper "Court Working Dress in England and Wales", published on 8 May 2003, is due to close on 14 August 2003. In its foreword Lord Irvine of Lairg wrote:
	"I hope this consultation exercise will encourage as high a response rate from members of the public as from legal professionals. I want to establish the extent to which court working dress impacts on public confidence, on court users and on the wider public esteem in which our courts are held, either positively or otherwise."
	The paper is available on the official website of the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
	I am arranging for a copy of the paper to be sent to the hon. Member.

Immigration Appeals

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance issued on 1 October 2001 to immigration adjudicators by the Chief Adjudicator in relation to the proper determination of paper-only appeals.

David Lammy: A copy of the relevant Chief Adjudicator's guidance note of 1 October 2001 to immigration adjudicators has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Immigration Appeals

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans he has to provide feedback from adjudicators to entry clearance officers on the quality of decision-making in relation to family visit visa applications.

David Lammy: It is not the role of independent judicial officers to provide feedback to entry clearance officers on the quality of decision-making. Decision makers receive a copy of the adjudicator's determination in every case and it is for the entry clearance managers to address any issues of concern over the quality of decision making. If adjudicators identify a matter giving rise to a more general concern then the Chief Adjudicator may write to the head of UK Visas to address that specific issue.

Immigration Appellate Authority

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will take steps to establish regular meetings between the Immigration Appellate Authority and UK visas to provide a forum for discussions.

David Lammy: Representatives from UK Visas and the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) attend the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) managed migration sub-programme board. This board oversees delivery of the IND plans for managed migration and already provides both UK Visas and the IAA with a regular forum for discussions.

Judicial Appointments Commission

Vera Baird: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the Judicial Appointments Commission will fix judicial salaries.

Christopher Leslie: Judicial salaries are determined by Government in the light of recommendations by the Senior Salaries Review Body. We are not proposing to change this arrangement with the establishment of a Judicial Appointments Commission.

Judicial Appointments Commission

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many hon. Members hold judicial appointments

Christopher Leslie: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Legal Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what powers the Lord Chancellor has in relation to the granting of legal aid support in civil actions.

David Lammy: Legal aid in civil cases is granted from the Community Legal Service (CLS) fund according to criteria set by the Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor and approved by Parliament. However, although Noble and Learned Friend and I have Ministerial responsibility for the CLS scheme, individual decisions about funding in civil cases are entirely a matter for the Legal Services Commission, which is an independent body.
	The only involvement that Ministers have in individual cases occurs when the Commission, under s.6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999, requests the Lord Chancellor to authorise exceptional funding to a case which is outside the scope of the CLS scheme. In such cases decisions are made according to the standard means and merits tests and according to criteria specific to exceptional funding applications.

Legal Aid

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs in what circumstances a court can deny payment of legal aid in civil actions where a legal aid certificate has previously been granted.

David Lammy: When a legal aid certificate is issued, the acting legal representatives are entitled to be paid what is considered to be reasonable when the costs are assessed (either by the court or the Legal Services Commission). Payment may be substantially reduced if a lawyer has acted outside the scope of his instructions, outlined in the terms of the funding certificate; or, if a lawyer was negligent in some way causing the courts to strike out a claim.
	It is possible for costs to amount to nil when it is assessed that work done had no value or was unnecessary.
	A lawyer has the right of appeal, if their payment is denied.

Lord Chancellor

Keith Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what research the Department has commissioned on the abolition of the post of Lord Chancellor.

Christopher Leslie: None. I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 19WS.

Magistrates

Graham Brady: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, if he will list for each magistrates bench where his Department is responsible for appointments (a) the political balance of the bench and (b) the voting pattern for the area.

Christopher Leslie: Information at bench level is not readily available. However, the table sets out the breakdown of magistrates political affiliations by commission area as at 1 April 2003. My officials do not maintain a central list of the corresponding voting patterns, which could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Political affiliation 
			 Commission area Total Conservative Labour Liberal Democrat Plaid Cymru Other Uncommitted 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 838 270 178 139 0 32 219 
			 Bedfordshire 277 105 57 30 0 12 73 
			 Cambridgeshire 358 141 78 42 0 23 74 
			 Cheshire 476 160 127 56 1 62 70 
			 City of London 132 52 25 13 0 8 34 
			 Cleveland 464 165 147 38 0 35 79 
			 Cumbria 309 104 58 24 0 6 117 
			 Derbyshire 430 160 116 55 0 21 78 
			 Devon and Cornwall 708 260 111 133 0 72 132 
			 Dorset 322 130 39 67 0 25 61 
			 Durham 294 61 107 19 0 19 88 
			 Dyfed 263 63 63 37 40 21 39 
			 East Sussex 396 146 78 46 0 33 93 
			 Essex 620 245 115 99 0 52 109 
			 Gloucestershire 270 131 40 43 0 25 31 
			 Gwent 284 69 78 20 7 2 108 
			 Hampshire 780 266 142 124 0 45 203 
			 Hertfordshire 457 147 114 63 0 46 87 
			 Humberside 444 173 115 47 0 34 75 
			 Inner London 767 283 246 97 0 79 62 
			 Isle of Wight 65 29 5 10 0 3 18 
			 Kent 815 335 152 115 0 47 166 
			 Leicestershire 511 171 119 60 0 15 146 
			 Lincolnshire 381 157 70 52 2 48 52 
			 Middlesex 952 329 298 91 0 73 161 
			 Norfolk 441 152 94 65 0 30 100 
			 North-east London 528 118 190 46 0 27 147 
			 North Yorkshire 362 138 70 55 0 20 79 
			 Northamptonshire 344 169 77 53 0 4 41 
			 Northumberland 189 65 41 28 1 3 51 
			 North Wales 387 129 101 66 46 22 23 
			 Nottinghamshire 652 229 181 69 0 8 165 
			 Powys 83 26 11 16 3 12 15 
			 South East London 413 147 101 58 0 13 94 
			 South Wales 557 117 170 71 19 24 156 
			 South-west London 369 158 74 74 0 28 35 
			 South Yorkshire 728 191 242 106 0 25 164 
			 Staffordshire 563 199 179 47 0 46 92 
			 Suffolk 289 91 52 44 1 11 90 
			 Surrey 364 152 63 37 0 41 71 
			 Thames Valley 1,046 380 200 140 0 42 284 
			 Tyne and Wear 793 204 280 102 0 50 157 
			 Warwickshire 216 76 53 39 0 18 30 
			 West Glamorgan 251 69 103 30 11 1 37 
			 West Mercia 657 270 156 107 0 40 84 
			 West Midlands 1,697 571 554 169 0 109 294 
			 West Sussex 356 119 80 57 0 18 82 
			 West Yorkshire 1,252 363 424 154 0 41 270 
			 Wiltshire 269 110 47 46 0 29 37 
			 Totals 24,419 8,395 6,221 3,199 131 1,500 4973 
			 Percentage 100 34.4 25,5 13.1 0.5 6.1 20.4

HOME DEPARTMENT

Unpaid Fines

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total amount of unpaid fines imposed by magistrates courts was on 31 March.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	Magistrates' Courts Committees (MCCs) have a responsibility for the collection of a range of debts imposed by the magistrates courts and the crown court. Debt collected includes not only fines but also fees, compensation, confiscation orders, legal aid contributions and some maintenance orders. It is not at present possible to separate fines from the total. The England and Wales closing arrears total at 31 March 2003 was £276,870,306.

Animal Welfare

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2003 from the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd), Official Report, column 1005W, on animal welfare, what research his Department has commissioned into the effectiveness of (a) the inter-departmental Concordat on Data Sharing and (b) measures in finding alternative methods of testing other than using animals; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The inter-Departmental Concordat on Data Sharing was announced in August 2000. Its aims included minimising data requirements for animal tests as far as possible, encouraging data sharing between clients, wherever appropriate, and seeking to overcome any procedural and legal barriers to data sharing. As it has now been in place for almost three years, we are reviewing its effectiveness. Accordingly, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Ainsworth), invited ministerial colleagues to review implementation of the Concordat and provide views on how it might be up dated.
	As to other measures, every year the Home Office makes available to the Animal Procedures Committee (APC) a budget for the development and promotion of the 3Rs—alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals used, or refine the procedures involved to minimise suffering. Details of completed research are published in the Annual Report of the Animal Procedures Committee, which is available from The Stationery Office and on the Committee's website. The amount being made available to the Committee for 2003–04 is £280,000.
	In addition, the Home Office leads the inter-Departmental Group on the 3Rs, whose terms of reference are to improve the application of the 3Rs and promote research into alternatives, reducing the need for toxicity testing through better sharing of data, and encouraging the validation and acceptance of alternatives. The Group is currently preparing revised guidance on the conduct of regulatory toxicology and safety evaluation studies and, arising from the Government response to the House of Lords Select Committee on animals in scientific procedures, has also been tasked with exploring the scope for a United Kingdom Centre for research into the 3Rs.
	We were also a co-sponsor of the fourth World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences held in New Orleans in August 2002, publish a number of guidance and best practice documents on the Home Office web site and contribute regularly to events and activities intended to develop or promote work relating to the 3Rs.

Asylum Seekers

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people have applied for asylum in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what the average length of time is for the processing of applications for asylum made in Northern Ireland.

Beverley Hughes: Information on asylum applications in Northern Ireland is unavailable. Asylum applications data are not available at regional level except by port of application. Similarly information on the average length of time of initial decisions is also unavailable. The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Asylum Seekers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 8 April 2003, Official Report, column 201W, on asylum seekers, if he will list the figures given in that answer in respect of the financial year 2002–03; and what estimate he has made of the amounts in 2003–04.

Beverley Hughes: Provisional figures for 2002–03 are reproduced in the table. Figures for this financial year 2003–04 are not yet available.
	
		£ million
		
			  2002–03 
		
		
			 Local Authorities 99 
			 Private sector (including non-profit making organisations) 241 
			 Total 340 
		
	
	Note:
	All figures are provisional and rounded to nearest £ million

Asylum Seekers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who entered the UK on a temporary work visa in each of the last three years subsequently claimed asylum.

Beverley Hughes: It is not possible to say precisely how many people who entered the UK on a temporary work permit and then subsequently applied for asylum. However the numbers are likely to be small. The nationalities of most people granted work permits are generally different from the nationalities of asylum seekers. The requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Burglary

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average sentence, in months, was for (a) low level burglary and (b) standard burglary in each year from 1995 to 2002.

Paul Goggins: The available information, relating to the average custodial sentence length for persons sentenced for burglary and aggravated burglary in England and Wales, 1995 to 2001, is contained in the table.
	Further details about offences of burglary are not collected centrally, so that offences of low level burglary cannot be distinguished from standard burglary.
	Statistics for 2002 will be published in the autumn.
	
		Average custodial sentence length imposed at all courts on persons convicted of offences ob burglary, England and Wales, 1995 to 2001(23)
		
			  Average custodial sentence length (months) 
			  Burglary Aggravated burglary 
			  In a dwelling Other than in a dwelling In a dwelling Other than in a dwelling 
		
		
			 1995 13.2 8.0 (24)44.9 27.1 
			 1996 15.6 7.8 44.0 51.3 
			 1997 18.1 8.4 45.5 30.7 
			 1998 17.9 8.6 46.0 38.8 
			 1999 18.3 7.9 45.5 39.2 
			 2000 18.6 8.3 48.6 49.0 
			 2001 19.7 8.4 50.2 40.9 
		
	
	(23) These data are on the principal offence basis
	(24) Excludes one person sentenced to life

Care Home Owners

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that care home owners who had volunteered to participate in the Criminal Records Bureau and their staff pay the existing fees rather than the proposed increased rate.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 June 2003
	The new Disclosure fees will apply to all applications, for which a fee is payable, received by the Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) on or after 1 July. Volunteers will continue to receive free Disclosures. As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 27WS, subject to consultation, applications for Disclosures for existing care home staff (that is, staff who were in post just before 1 April 2002) will need to be submitted to the CRB between 1 October and 30 November 2003. The Care Homes Regulations 2001, which came into force on 1 April 2002, require new care home staff to obtain a disclosure before starting work.

Criminal Justice Bill

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many clauses were (a) fully, (b) partially and (c) not debated during the Committe Stage of the Criminal Justice Bill.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 16 June 2003
	The debate of the Criminal Justice Bill was programmed. Of the 280 clauses contained in the Bill as amended in Standing Committee B, 174 clauses were fully debated. To dispose of business to be concluded at the times specified in the programme motion 7 clauses were partially debated and 99 clause were not debated before the question that they be ordered to stand part of the Bill was put to the Committee.

Criminal Records Bureau

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of Criminal Records Bureau standard searches have been outstanding for (a) over two weeks, (b) over four weeks and (c) over 10 weeks.

Paul Goggins: The information sought by the honourable Member is not available in the format requested. There are no IT procedures at present to differentiate between the number of outstanding Standard disclosures and the number of outstanding Enhanced Disclosures. The following is a breakdown of the total number of outstanding Disclosures held by the Criminal Records Bureau, for the periods requested. These figures do not include those applications where individuals have been asked to provide further information.
	Over 2 weeks—12,981
	Over 4 weeks—6,424
	Over 10 weeks—12,612

Criminal Records Bureau

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the change in demand for checks for the Criminal Records Bureau after 5 June 2003.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 12 June 2003
	The Home Office is continuing to maintain close contact with the major stakeholders and key players to gauge the level of demand for the Disclosure service. Taking into account the introduction of checks on care workers, announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 5 June 2003, Official Report, column 27WS, the Criminal Record Bureau forecast demand for £2.6 million Disclosures in 2003/04.

Criminal Records Bureau

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the income through charging of the Criminal Records Bureau, (a) prior to the implementation of proposed measures and (b) subsequent to this.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 13 June 2003
	Since its launch on 11 March 2002, the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has generated the following income from Registration and Disclosure fees:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 1.5 
			 2002–03 18.3 
		
	
	The Bureau has forecasted that its anticipated income through charging will be:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003–04 56.1 
			 2004–05 86.6 
		
	
	As with all Government fees and charges, the CRB operates on a cost-recovery basis and the rules preclude the Bureau from making a profit. This principle, laid down in Section 2 of Her Majesty's Treasury's "The Fees and Charges Guide" states that charges should normally be set to recover the full cost of the service. In all years, the CRB's operating costs are projected to exceed its income.
	The Government made it clear when the £12 fee for a criminal record Disclosure certificate was originally announced in 2001 that the intention was for the CRB eventually to become self-financing and that fee levels would be regularly reviewed.
	It should be noted that volunteers will continue to receive free Disclosures. The CRB issued 202,000 Disclosures to volunteers up to 31 March 2003. This represents a saving of over £2.4 million to the voluntary and community sector.

Criminal Records Bureau

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criminal records checks are carried out in respect of new personnel in each of the probation areas in England and Wales; and if these checks changed after the creation of the Criminal Records Bureau in April 2002.

Paul Goggins: Since the creation of the Criminal Records Bureau in April 2002, all new employees who have direct contact with offenders, including probation officers, probation service officers, prison staff (including admin and clerical staff) and hostel workers are checked through the Bureau.
	Prior to this they were checked via the relevant police force for the Probation Area.

Death Certification

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 7 May 2003, Official Report, column 751W, on death certification, what progress has been made on the consideration of the review into death certification.

Paul Goggins: My colleagues and I are currently considering the Report of a Fundamental Review, published on 4 June. The next reports of the Shipman Inquiry will also comment upon the death certification system. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has asked Tom Luce, the Chair of the Fundamental Review, to carry out further work linking the recommendations of the Review Group and those made by Dame Janet Smith, the Chair of the Shipman Inquiry. In the autumn, when this work is complete, we will be in a position to outline a programme of reform.

Entry Clearance Posts

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to ensure that entry clearance posts are promptly notified by Home Office Presenting Officer units of the outcome of family visitor appeals.

Beverley Hughes: In cases where the appellant's appeal is dismissed the Immigration Appellate Authority (IAA) sends a copy of the appeal determination (including family visit visa appeals) directly to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for onward transmission to overseas posts. All allowed Entry Clearance and Visit Visa appeal determinations (including family visit visa appeals) are sent to the Home Office by the IAA so that the Home Office can consider whether to seek Permission to Appeal (PTA) to the Immigration Appellate Tribunal (IAT). The Home Office notify the relevant Entry Clearance post of the final appeal outcome once it has been confirmed whether the Home Office will seek PTA to the IAT. The Home Office also informs posts if an unsuccessful appellant successfully pursues PTA to the IAT. The Home Office is working closely with UK Visas to improve methods of communicating Entry Clearance and Family Visit Visa appeal information to posts.

Extradition

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 19 June 2003, ref 118911, how many outstanding extradition requests have been made by the United Kingdom to each member of the European Union and EU accession states; and when the original extradition request was made in each case.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 24 June 2003
	The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			 To EU UK* extradition requests request outstanding as of31 May 2003 and year of request 
			 countries 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Belgium — — — 2 4 
			 France — 1 1 1 2 
			 Germany — — — 1 — 
			 Italy 1 3 1 — — 
			 Luxembourg — — — — — 
			 Netherlands 1 2 — 4 2 
			 Denmark — — — 1 — 
			 Greece — — — — — 
			 Portugal — — — — 2 
			 Spain 2 2 13 13 15 
			 Austria — — — 1 — 
			 Finland — — — — — 
			 Sweden — — — — — 
		
	
	* The figures do not include:
	UK requests made to Ireland which are not collected centrally.
	requests made to EU and accession States by Scotland and Northern Ireland.
	In relation to EU accession States, there is one outstanding request which the UK made in 2002 to Cyprus.

Immigration Holding Cells

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police and (b) immigration holding cells there are at each London airport.

Beverley Hughes: There are eight Police Holding Cells at Heathrow Airport and two detention rooms. There are three Police holding cells at Stansted Police Station which is situated within the airport perimeter. There are no Police holding cells at London City and Gatwick airports.
	There are no immigration holding cells at any of the London airports. There are immigration holding rooms where passengers may be held in a secure communal room for short periods pending interview or removal. There are nine holding rooms in total. These comprise two at Gatwick (one at each Terminal), four at Heathrow (one at each Terminal), one at London City, one at Stansted, and one at Luton. Additionally, there is a removals holding room for outgoing detainees at Queen's Building at Heathrow Airport.

Local Authority Funding

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific or direct grants have been made by his Department to local authorities for 2003–04 (a) in England and (b) broken down by local authority, identifying whether the grant is (i) ring fenced, (ii) a specific formula grant, (iii) within aggregate external finance and (iv) outside aggregate external finance.

Hazel Blears: The Home Office pays a variety of grants to local authorities. Details, first for police authorities, then for local councils, are given in the tables.
	The following specific or direct grants are being or will be paid to police authorities in 2003–04:
	
		£ million
		
			 Police Authority Police Grant(25),(26) Police Capital Grant Crime fighting Fund(27) Rural Policing(27) Airwave(25),(26) Street Crime(27) Basic Command Units(27) Community Support Officers(27) 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Avon and Somerset 97.50 2.09 5.35 0.98 0.51 1.20 1.75 0.27 
			 Bedfordshire 37.17 0.84 2.56 0.16 0.28 0.00 0.52 0.07 
			 Cambridgeshire 45.70 1.02 2.28 1.10 0.34 0.00 0.58 0.26 
			 Cheshire 65.77 1.45 3.98 0.23 4.44 0.00 0.66 0.13 
			 City of London 32.47 0.71 1.29 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.08 0.00 
			 Cleveland 47.52 1.04 2.04 0.00 0.56 0.00 0.64 0.12 
			 Cumbria 34.88 0.76 2.01 1.36 0.00 0.00 0.31 0.00 
			 Derbyshire 59.79 1.31 4.31 0.41 0.31 0.00 0.77 0.00 
			 Devon and Cornwall 101.22 2.21 6.37 3.12 0.39 0.00 0.84 0.24 
			 Dorset 39.69 1.05 2.31 0.44 0.16 0.00 0.47 0.00 
			 Durham 46.76 1.03 2.63 0.24 0.18 0.00 0.51 0.13 
			 Dyfed-Powys 30.12 0.65 2.16 2.62 0.65 0.00 0.27 0.00 
			 Essex 94.67 2.12 5.79 0.50 2.33 0.00 1.03 0.03 
			 Gloucestershire 36.00 0.78 2.33 0.78 0.19 0.00 0.40 0.17 
			 Greater Manchester 219.35 4.81 16.13 0.00 1.13 2.09 3.53 0.23 
			 Gwent 40.90 0.91 2.22 0.20 0.16 0.00 0.48 0.16 
			 Hampshire 114.03 2.52 6.90 0.22 8.19 0.00 1.23 0.00 
			 Hertfordshire 64.82 1.49 3.14 0.00 0.29 0.00 0.56 0.23 
			 Humberside 64.95 1.42 3.75 0.70 0.34 0.00 0.95 0.00 
			 Kent 106.11 2.37 7.32 0.60 7.15 0.00 1.05 0.41 
			 Lancashire 105.22 2.29 6.19 0.06 0.54 0.44 1.15 0.30 
			 Leicestershire 60.03 1.35 3.83 0.43 0.31 0.00 0.82 0.15 
			 Lincolnshire 36.92 0.78 2.07 2.03 0.43 0.00 0.39 0.07 
			 Mersevside 134.48 2.83 9.03 0.00 3.87 0.78 1.39 0.28 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,082.40 24.40 70.46 0.00 15.02 8.01 9.91 1.47 
			 Norfolk 49.98 1.11 3.07 2.08 3.23 0.00 0.47 0.13 
			 Northamptonshire- 39.93 0.90 2.44 0.71 2.63 0.00 0.53 0.00 
			 Northumbria 123.56 2.72 6.91 0.00 0.64 0.00 1.35 0.33 
			 North Wales 44.71 0.99 2.85 1.54 0.87 0.00 0.43 0.07 
			 North Yorkshire 44.62 0.96 1.85 2.02 0.23 0.00 0.45 0.30 
			 Nottinghamshire- 72.42 1.56 4.32 0.00 1.13 0.85 1.31 0.30 
			 South Wales 93.45 1.99 4.33 0.00 0.55 0.00 1.11 0.35 
			 South Yorkshire 98.45 2.19 5.44 0.00 5.60 0.76 1.22 0.04 
			 Staffordshire 64.44 1.38 3.99 0.27 4.36 0.00 1.01 0.05 
			 Suffolk 40.32 0.88 2.25 1.41 0.21 0.00 0.41 0.09 
			 Surrey 53.95 1.22 3.93 0.01 3.45 0.00 0.51 0.05 
			 Sussex 94.85 2.06 5.86 0.54 2.06 0.00 1.17 0.34 
			 Thames Valley 132.22 3.03 9.52 1.25 1.01 1.35 1.71 0.06 
			 Warwickshire 30.65 0.67 1.61 0.56 2.14 0.00 0.35 0.11 
			 West Mercia 66.71 1.47 4.13 2.34 0.34 0.00 0.88 0.21 
			 West Midlands 231 .26 5.17 14.40 0.00 15.55 1.80 3.70 0.34 
			 West Yorkshire 170.18 3.70 8.11 0.00 4.09 1.37 2.76 0.75 
			 Wiltshire 37.83 0.84 2.06 1.10 0.20 0.00 0.32 0.08 
			 Yet to be allocated 0.00 22.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.35 0.00 32.70 
			 Total 4,288.00 117.11 263.52 30.01 96.18 25.00 49.98 41.00 
		
	
	(25) Police grant is a specific formula grant within Aggregate External Finance (AEF), which includes the Special Payment to the Metropolitan Police, but does not include grants the Home Secretary pays to Dyfed Powys [£0.5 million] and South Wales [£4.7 million] to bring them up to the general grant
	"floor". It is not ring-fenced.
	(26) From time to time the Home Secretary may pay special grants to police authorities to assist with extraordinary pressures. These grants may be allocated at any time during the year. They are not within AEF.
	(27) These grants are ring-fenced and inside AEF.
	(28) The Airwave grant includes £0 million of capital provision.
	In addition, Home Office funding totalling £61.5 million is being made available to the police service in England and Wales for specific counter terrorist operations and other counter terrorist measures. Of this sum, some £47 million is allocated to the Metropolitan Police and £14.5 million to other forces to counter the increased threat from international terrorism since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. For security reasons it is not possible to disclose details of the grants made to individual police authorities for these activities.
	The individual allocations for the following specific grants to police authorities have yet to be finalised:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			  
			  
			 Outer London Pay 29 
			 Lead and Free Travel(29)  
			 London and SE Allowance(29) 13 
			 PNB(29) 38 
			 DMA(29) 55 
			 Retention of officers over 30 years(29) 1 
			 Special Constables(29) 8 
			 Occupational Health(29) 5 
			 Reform Deal(29) 8 
			 National Non-Emergency Number(29) 3 
			 Model(29) 2 
			 Total 162 
		
	
	(29) Notes:These grants are ring-fenced and inside AEF
	The following grants are being, or will be, paid to local councils.
	Councils that receive asylum seekers are eligible for the Adult and Family Asylum Seekers Grant and/or the Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Grant. The amounts payable are dependent on the number of asylum seekers received and are not known at this stage. The grants are outside AEF.
	Community Cohesion Pathfinder grant will be paid to the following local authorities, who will each receive £75,000 in 2003–04.
	Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
	Charnwood Borough Council
	East Lancashire Partnership 1
	Kirklees Metropolitan Council
	Leicester Qty Council
	Mansfield District Council
	Middlesbrough Council
	Peterborough Qty Council
	Plymouth Qty Council
	Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
	Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
	Stoke-on-Trent Qty Council
	London Borough of Southwark
	West London Alliance 2
	The grant is outside AEF.
	Notes:
	1 Lancashire County Council and Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale Borough Councils. The grant is paid to Pendle.
	2 The London Boroughs of Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow. The grant is paid to Ealing.

Outstayers

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of visitors to the UK who overstayed their visa in the last 12 months, broken down by nationality.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is unavailable.
	Those who overstay their visas form part of the illegally resident population. There is currently no official estimate of the size of the illegal population in the UK as there is no defined method in the UK for producing estimates. However, the Government have commissioned research into the methods used in other countries to estimate the size of their illegal populations (which would by definition include those overstaying their visas) in order to define methods appropriate for the UK.

Parliamentary Questions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to answer the Question of the hon. Member for the Vale of York due for answer on 3 June concerning the Entitlement Cards consultation.

Beverley Hughes: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 June 2003, Official Report, column 153W.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 14 May 2003, Official Report, column 251W, on lost passports, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the loss of passports by Immigration and Nationality Directive staff; and what proportion of the lost passports were subsequently found.

Beverley Hughes: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) at any one time hold many thousands of passports (spread across several different locations). They are currently being asked to return between 600 to 900 of these every week to their owners. Sometimes, despite every effort, it is not possible to do this within the timescale stipulated by the applicant. This does not necessarily mean that the passport is lost. Previously, officials have offered to issue a lost passport letter (LPL), that would enable the person to obtain a replacement for their Embassy.
	Under the new arrangements, no LPL is issued now without a thorough search having being made for the document, initially by the unit receiving the request and, if necessary, by the Return of Passport Unit. If the search is unsuccessful, a serial-numbered LPL is issued. As a result, the Integrated Casework Directorate (ICD) now keeps a much tighter control on the issuing of letters and robust statistics are now maintained.
	However, there are currently no available statistics of how many passports are subsequently found.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 945W, to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow), on passports, how many investigations relating to the criminal trading of passports have been authorised in the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: There have been three investigations into losses of a total of 15 passports from passport offices in the last five years. A police investigation was undertaken into a single incident in Glasgow when 13 passports could not be accounted for. The other two investigations each involved the loss of a single passport. All three investigations occurred during 2000 and each involved a full and thorough investigation by UK Passport Service's (UKPS) security personnel. None of these investigations was able to prove conclusively that the passports concerned had been stolen. None of the 15 passports have yet been recovered but in all cases the details have been passed to the Immigration Service.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 946W, to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on passports, if he will place a copy of the UKPS Fraud Action Plan in the Library.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service's (UKPS) Fraud Action Plan is a working document used by the UKPS Fraud Prevention Board to monitor progress on various fraud related programmes and activities. I am therefore arranging for a summary of the Fraud Action Plan to be placed in the Library. This summary will contain an outline of all of the projects and activities currently within the plan, together with timescales for delivery.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions were brought against individuals who made fraudulent passport applications in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The figures recorded by the UK Passport Service (UKPS) for the number of prosecutions made against individuals who have fraudulently applied for passports are given in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1998 9 
			 1999 10 
			 2000 7 
			 2001 16 
			 2002 5 
		
	
	It should be noted that UKPS does not routinely receive feedback from the police or prosecution authorities on cases of passport fraud which are referred to them. The figures given in the table are therefore likely to be a significant under representation of the number of prosecutions brought. UKPS is working with the police to develop a more effective feedback mechanism. The figures collated by UKPS do not distinguish between successful and unsuccessful prosecutions.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 946W, to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) on passports, how many cases are subject to major and ongoing investigations.

Beverley Hughes: The UK Passport Service (UKPS) considers an investigation to be a major investigation when it involves multiple instances of fraud or attempted fraud, which are related to each other in some way. Currently UKPS has six such investigations in progress. As investigations may involve instances of suspected as well as actual fraud it would not be appropriate to publish a figure on the number of cases under investigation.

Passports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ascertain whether an individual who applies for a new passport to replace a lost passport has indeed lost the original.

Beverley Hughes: An individual applying to replace a lost passport is required in completing the passport application to provide details of the lost passport, and explain how, when, and where the passport was lost. The individual in signing the application declares that 'all information given in this application is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief'. There is a caution on the application form reminding passport applicants that it is a criminal offence to make an untrue statement for the purpose of obtaining a passport.
	In seeking to strike an appropriate balance between maintaining high standards of customer service and fraud prevention the UK Passport Service's (UKPS) current practice is generally to accept what the applicant has declared to be true at face value. In every case the passport history is checked. Further inquiries would only be made if there was for example an inconsistency between the information on the application form and that contained in UKPS records.
	In cases where newly issued passports are declared lost in the post UKPS does not routinely require the submission of a fresh passport application unless a period of time has elapsed. In all cases UKPS requires a signed letter from the passport holder declaring the loss. An untrue statement in the letter would be a criminal offence. The UKPS then carries out validation checks with records held on UKPS systems. Details of losses are passed on to Royal Mail for investigation.
	To ascertain with absolute certainty that an applicant was no longer in possession of the passport is probably unachievable. It would require a search which would obviously be impractical and an unwarranted intrusion in almost all cases.
	All passports reported lost are cancelled in the UKPS's records to which the Immigration Service has access.
	As indicated in the UKPS's 2003–08 Corporate and Business Plan the UKPS is planning to introduce a more comprehensive system for recording and disseminating information on lost, stolen and recovered passports. This will enable the timely and accurate collection and dissemination of information on lost, stolen and recovered passports in the United Kingdom and by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts abroad; and will require the applicant to provide more detailed information in notifying the UKPS of the loss of the passport. The new forms associated with the loss and recovery notification will be placed in the Library once they have been finalised.

Police Records

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which private companies are to be given access to confidential police records; whether they will be given access to police files; what undertakings a private employee must give before being given access to confidential information; and what protection is available for private individuals where malpractice is proved against a private employee.

Paul Goggins: In line with a recommendation of the Independent Review Team that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary appointed last September, we have come forward with a provision in the Criminal Justice Bill specifically to empower the Secretary of State to delegate functions under Part V of the Police Act 1997 under which the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) has been established. The power is purely discretionary, but will give us the flexibility, should it be needed, to deploy both civil service and private sector staff working in the CRB to best effect. No decision has been taken to delegate any functions currently undertaken by civil servants, including those functions that require access to police records. Were such functions to be delegated they would be subject to appropriate contractual safeguards to prevent any unauthorised disclosure. In addition, under the provisions in the Criminal Justice Bill it will be a criminal offence for any person to whom the Secretary of State's functions are delegated to disclose any personal information save in the course of the person's duties.

Prisons

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional prison places have been provided and at what cost in each of the last 10 years; and what the average cost of building a new prison place is.

Paul Goggins: The following table gives information on the number of additional places and an estimate of the cumulative cost of providing them, from 1995 onwards: this is the earliest date for which information is available. The data includes places both at new prisons and those provided at existing prisons by building houseblocks, Ready to Use Units (RTUs) and Modular Temporary Units (MTUs). It does not take into account any places taken out of use, or places provided by subsequent overcrowding.
	Costs are based on an estimate of the total capital and cumulative operating costs and includes new prisons provided under the Private Finance Initiative. The average cost of building a new prison place is around £100,000. This is an average unit cost for providing public sector prison places through houseblocks and RTUs.
	
		
			  Places Cost (£ million) 
		
		
			 1995–96 1,165 103 
			 1996–97 1,857 206 
			 1997–98 4,635 231 
			 1998–99 1,697 258 
			 1999–2000 2,071 225 
			 2000–01 800 264 
			 2001–02 1,103 317 
			 2002–03 1,902 426

Prisons

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department of the entrants to detoxification programmes in prisons in England and Wales in 2001–02, what proportion were completed; what proportion were carried out in designated prison health centres; and what the average duration was.

Paul Goggins: The current practice is to recommend nine to 10 day programmes for the clinical management of opiate with drawal and seven-day programmes in respect of alcohol. All such recommended timescales are kept under review in the light of developments in clinical practice.
	Information about the proportion of detoxifications started and completed is not available centrally. Between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002, 41,916 drug and alcohol detoxifications were carried out. Unless there are compounding risk factors, it is not generally necessary for the treatment to be carried out in prison health centres. During 2003–04,the Prison Service is establishing new detoxification units at eight establishments with the capacity to undertake over 9,000 treatments a year. The clinical effectiveness of the programmes provided will be evaluated.
	During 2003–04, the Prison Service is establishing new detoxification units at eight establishments with the capacity to undertake over 9,000 treatments a year. The clinical effectiveness of the programmes provided will be evaluated.

Proceeds of Crime

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total value is of the assets seized from convicted offenders since the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The confiscation provisions in the 2002 Act are triggered by offences committed after the provisions were brought into force on 24 March 2003, so it will be a while before cases are dealt with by the Crown Court in numbers. To date, one confiscation order with a value of £38,000 has been made against a convicted offender. The value of cash seizures made under the new cash seizure provision in the Act which came into effect on 30 December 2002 and which are not dependent upon a conviction is £25.6 million.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were screened for tuberculosis at points of entry to the UK in the last year for which information is available; and what proportion of those were found to be carriers.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	In 2001–02, 59,749 people were x-rayed for tuberculosis at ports of entry to the United Kingdom. 146 of these people were identified as having TB.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were the subject of notifications to their local health bodies that they should be screened for tuberculosis following entry to the UK in the last year for which information is available; what proportion was undertaken; and in what proportion of the latter those persons were found to be carriers.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department of Health does not collect this data centrally.

Tuberculosis

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism exists to ensure that persons requiring testing for tuberculosis but not tested at their point of entry to the UK are in due course so tested; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.
	Medical inspectors working at ports of entry pass the contact details of persons requiring further examination or testing for tuberculosis to the national health service at their destination address. It is the responsibility of the NHS locally to follow up these contacts.

Victim and Witnesses Bill

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his timetable is for (a) consultation in preparation for the Victims and Witnesses Bill, (b) the publication of a draft Bill and (c) the publication of the Bill itself.

Paul Goggins: One of our 2001 manifesto commitments was to legislate for a Victims and Witnesses Bill during the course of this Parliament.
	Since October 2001, officials from across government have been working with the voluntary sector and other interested organisations to develop measures which will lead to the delivery of nationally consistent, high quality services to victims, and put their interests closer to the heart of the criminal justice system.
	The draft Bill will be published, and subsequently introduced, as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Woodhill Prison

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has asked for a report into the arrangements for dealing with high security prisoners in the hospital wing of HMP Woodhill.

Paul Goggins: holding answer 17 June 2003
	The Deputy Director General of the Prison Service commissioned the Governor of Leicester prison to undertake an urgent investigation into the circumstances leading to the overdose taken by Mr. Huntley, while in the health care centre at Woodhill prison. The report was submitted to the Deputy Director General on 13 June and passed to me on 17 June together with a Prison Service response.
	Following careful consideration of the findings, I issued a written ministerial statement on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 13WS, dealing with the content of the report and the actions taken as a consequence of the various recommendations made.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been (a) spent on and (b) allocated to the British Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan.

Adam Ingram: Costs incurred by the Ministry of Defence from deploying and supporting the British-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-e Sharif will be charged to the Reserve. As such, there is no formal allocation of the Department's resources. In addition, other costs will fall to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development reflecting their own contribution to the PRT. While some preparatory work has been carried out, the PRT has still to deploy and it is too early to say what has been spent to date.

Aircraft Carriers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change the number of aircraft carriers in service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It is planned that the Navy's three existing CVS class carriers will be replaced by two larger and more capable CVF class carriers from early in the next decade.

Annual Reports and Accounts

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library (a) the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency Annual Report and Accounts for financial years 1999–2000 and 2000–01, (b) the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 1999–2000 and (c) the RAF Signals Engineering Establishment Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 1997–98.

Ivor Caplin: The Annual Report and Accounts for the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency for financial year 1999–2000 are available in the Library of the House and can be found under classified set 895. No agency Annual Report and Accounts were produced for financial year 2000–01 as the organisation ceased to be a Defence agency on 1 October 2000.
	The Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 1999–2000 and the RAF Signals Engineering Establishment Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 1997–98 are also available in the Library of the House, and can be found under classified set 943 and 870 respectively.

Armed Forces

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the effect on overstretch of a difference between the target number of armed forces personnel and the actual number of personnel.

Ivor Caplin: As at 1 May 2003 the shortfall against the current trained requirement of the armed forces stood at 6,450. This is an improvement on the same time last year with an increase in the overall trained strength and a decrease in the deficit. All three Services are working hard to address the shortfalls so that the targets set out in the current Public Service Agreements can be met.
	Details of shortfalls by individual Service as at 1 May 2003 are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Trained requirement Trained strength Shortfall 
		
		
			 Naval Service 38,500 37,460 -1,040 
			 Army 106,980 102,430 -4,540 
			 RAF 49,640 48,770 -870

Cluster Munitions

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records have been kept of the locations in Iraq at which cluster bombs were used by British forces.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 June 2003, Official Report, column 343W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Joan Ruddock).

Drugs

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units have been subjected to compulsory drugs testing since January 2002; and how many personnel tested positive in each unit, broken down by substance.

Ivor Caplin: I have today placed a copy of the information requested in the Library of the House.

HMS Sheffield

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 911W, on HMS Sheffield, what the original cost of building HMS Sheffield was; what the cost of her refit was in 1996; what her annual operating cost has been; how much was raised by her sale to Chile; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Keetch) on 4 February 2003, Official Report, column 174W.
	Negotiations concerning the disposal of Ministry of Defence surplus equipment are matters of commercial and customer confidentiality and I am therefore withholding details of the revenues received under Exemption 1 and 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Infantry Deployment

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which infantry regiments have been deployed to contribute to SFOR and KFOR in each of the past five years.

Adam Ingram: The following infantry regiments have been deployed to contribute to the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) and Kosovo Force (KFOR) over the past five years:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 Kosovo  
			 1999 1 Battalion The Irish Guards 
			  1 Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment 
			  1 Battalion The Parachute Regiment 
			  2 Battalion The Royal Green Jackets 
			 2000 2 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers 
			  1 Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment 
			 2001 1 Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment 
			  1 Battalion The Black Watch 
			  1 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales 
			 2002 1 Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment 
			  1 Battalion The Staffordshire Regiment 
			  1 Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment(30) 
			   
			 Bosnia  
			 1998 2 Battalion The Royal Green Jackets 
			  1 Battalion The Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiment 
			 1999 1 Battalion The Royal Highland Fusiliers 
			  1 Battalion The Royal Regiment of Wales 
			 2000 1 Battalion The King's Own Royal Border Regiment 
			  2 Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment 
			 2001 2 Battalion The Royal Green Jackets 
			  2 Battalion The Royal Gurkha Regiment 
			 2002 1 Battalion Welsh Guards 
			  1 Battalion The Royal Scots 
			 2003 1 Battalion The Highlanders 
		
	
	(30) Company level only

Iraq

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British armed forces personnel are stationed in Iraq from (a) regular and (b) reserve forces.

Ivor Caplin: As at 24 June, there were 10,250 personnel deployed in Iraq, of whom approximately 1,400 were members of the Reserve Forces.

Iraq

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to enable British forces in Iraq to operate effectively under extreme temperatures.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 24 June 2003
	British forces deployed on operations in Iraq are provided with guidance for working in extreme temperatures. Acclimatisation and a sensible approach to the working environment mean that personnel can operate effectively. Most of the United Kingdom forces' equipment is capable of operating in high temperatures. However, a number of enhancements have been made to ensure that operational effectiveness is not degraded.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the findings of the investigation into the mobile laboratories in Iraq.

Geoff Hoon: I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's answer on 20 June 2003, Official Report, column 444W, to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Paul Flynn).

Low-wave Radar

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he is having with his EU counterparts on restrictions on the use of low-wave radar by military vessels in the seas around the British Isles.

Adam Ingram: I presume the question refers to low frequency active sonars. Neither the Ministry of Defence nor its agencies is engaged in discussions with European Union counterparts on restrictions on the use of such sonars by military vessels in the seas around the British Isles.

Maintenance Contracts

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent cost effectiveness reviews have been conducted of maintenance contracts.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Married Quarters (Warminster)

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress to update married quarters in Warminster.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's answer to him of 22 July 2002, Official Report, column 752W, the improvements planned for last year have been completed.
	It is still our intention to carry out a full upgrade of some 400 properties to 'Standard 1 for Condition'. Furthermore, a number of improvements are being carried out this financial year, including:
	installation of 150 showers to soldiers' quarters;
	replacement rear doors to 101 soldiers' quarters;
	upgrading electrical supply to Officer's quarters area—Elm Hill
	upgrading and repairing roads
	replacement of fascias, soffits and rainwater goods at 111 Officers' quarters
	external redecorations to 10 quarters

Minehunters

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the number of (a) Hunt and (b) Sandown class minehunters; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no plans to reduce the number of Hunt and Sandown class minehunters.

Procurement

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the decision to purchase ship systems to improve the navigational capability of the Hunt and Sandown class of minehunters; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The decision to make this purchase for the Hunt and Sandown classes was taken to improve minehunting and minesweeping capability. The procurement will enable these ships to more precisely fix their position in relation to objects detected in the sea.

Procurement

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who drew up the specification for the desert boots and uniforms that were ordered for use in the war in Iraq; who manufactured them; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The specification for the desert boots ordered for use in the war in Iraq was drawn up by the manufacturer and approved after evaluation by the Ministry of Defence. The specifications for the other principal uniform items (i.e. lightweight jacket and trousers) were drawn up by qualified Ministry of Defence personnel. The suppliers were as follows.
	
		
			 Item Contractor 
		
		
			 Desert Boots Iturri S.A. (Seville) 
			 Lightweight Jacket Cookson & Clegg; Feuchter Workwear Gmbh 
			 Lightweight Trousers Cookson & Clegg; Feuchter Workwear Gmbh

Sea Harriers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sea Harriers are in storage; and what plans he has for the disposal of Sea Harriers.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no Sea Harrier aircraft in storage. Aircraft being withdrawn from service are being used for spares recovery before being disposed of through the Disposal Services Agency. In the future some of the aircraft may be retained for ground-instructional use while others may be used as gate guardians at Service bases or offered to museums.

Service Manning

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the establishment of (a) doctors by speciality, (b) nurses and (c) technicians required by (i) field hospitals of the TA AMS, (ii) medical squadrons of the TA AMS and (iii) TA AMS specialist units, stating in each case the number of (A) doctors by speciality, (B) nurses and (C) technicians serving in each category; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: holding answer 19 June 2003
	Overall recruiting and retention in the Territorial Army (TA) Army Medical Services (AMS) has improved over the past three years following a targeted advertising campaign in September 1999, and continuing this effort remains a priority. The information requested is detailed in the tables:
	
		RAMC—Medical officer posts -- Figures as at 1 March 2003
		
			   Ind Hosp Fd Amb Med Sqns Specialists 
			 Ser Status/Profession Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength 
		
		
			 1 Medical Officer 140 136 42 38 29 24 33 23 
			 2 Anaes and Resus Cons 80 31 0 0 4 3 35 14 
			 3 Anaes and Resus (Neuro) 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 
			 4 A&E Cons 50 6 0 0 1 2 10 2 
			 5 Surgical Cons 20 14 0 0 4 0 20 9 
			 6 Orthopaedic Surgeon 20 10 0 0 0 0 10 3 
			 7 Burns and Plastics Cons 0 3 0 0 0 0 7 2 
			 8 Neurosurgery 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 1 
			 9 Surgeon Urology 0 3 0 0 0 0 2 3 
			 10 Obs & Gynae 0 7 0 0 0 0 5 3 
			 11 Otorhinolaringology 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 2 
			 12 Medicine Cons 100 12 0 0 3 0 10 0 
			 13 Opthalmologist 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 
			 14 Neurologist 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 15 GU Med Cons 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 16 Cardiologist 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 17 Dermatologist 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 18 Gastroenterologist 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 19 Infectious Diseases 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 20 Respiratory Medicine 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 21 Renal Medicine 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 22 Public Health 0 0 0 1 0 0 4 1 
			 23 Paediatrics 0 5 0 0 0 0 4 0 
			 24 Rheum & Rehabilitation 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 25 Psychiatric Cons 20 5 4 0 0 0 7 3 
			 26 Radiology Cons 20 3 0 0 0 0 5 1 
			 27 Path Cons (Clin Chem) 10 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 
			 28 Path Cons (Haem) 10 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 
			 29 Path Cons (Micro—Bio) 10 2 0 0 0 0 3 1 
			 30 Path Cons (Histiopath) 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 31 Med Offr NYQ 0 93 0 3 0 4 0 0 
			 32 Total 480 339 46 42 41 33 203 71 
			 33 Percentage Manned 71  91  80  35  
		
	
	
		
			   Amb Regt Med Gp Total 
			   Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength 
		
		
			 1 Medical Officer 1 1 0 0 245 222 
			 2 Anaes and Resus Cons 0 0 0 0 119 48 
			 3 Anaes and Resus (Neuro) 0 0 0 0 4 0 
			 4 A&E Cons 0 0 0 0 61 10 
			 5 Surgical Cons 0 0 0 0 44 23 
			 6 Orthopaedic Surgeon 0 0 0 0 30 13 
			 7 Burns and Plastics Cons 0 0 0 0 7 5 
			 8 Neurosurgery 0 0 0 0 8 1 
			 9 Surgeon Urology 0 0 0 0 2 6 
			 10 Obs & Gynae 0 0 0 0 5 10 
			 11 Otorhinolaringology 0 0 0 0 6 2 
			 12 Medicine Cons 0 0 0 0 113 12 
			 13 Opthalmologist 0 0 0 0 6 0 
			 14 Neurologist 0 0 0 0 0 2 
			 15 GU Med Cons 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 16 Cardiologist 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 17 Dermatologist 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 18 Gastroenterologist 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 19 Infectious Diseases 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 20 Respiratory Medicine 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 21 Renal Medicine 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 22 Public Health 0 0 0 0 4 2 
			 23 Paediatrics 0 0 0 0 4 5 
			 24 Rheum & Rehabilitation 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 25 Psychiatric Cons 0 0 0 0 31 8 
			 26 Radiology Cons 0 0 0 0 25 4 
			 27 Path Cons (Clin Chem) 0 0 0 0 13 3 
			 28 Path Cons (Haem) 0 0 0 0 13 2 
			 29 Path Cons (Micro—Bio) 0 0 0 0 13 3 
			 30 Path Cons (Histiopath) 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 31 Med Offr NYQ 0 0 0 0 0 100 
			 32 Total 1 1 0 0 771 486 
			 33 Percentage Manned 100  0
		
	
	
		RAMC—Professions allied to medicine
		
			   Ind Hosp Fd Amb Med Sqns Specialists 
			 Ser Status/Profession Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength 
		
		
			  Officer Posts 
			 1 Tech Officer Rad 20 17 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 2 Tech Officer Lab 20 20 0 0 0 0 8 5 
			 3 Environmental Health Offr 10 24 4 3 1 0 18 6 
			 4 Pharmacist 20 23 0 0 0 0 12 3 
			 5 Physiotherapist 80 64 0 1 0 0 11 3 
			 6 PAM NYQ 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 7 Sub Total 150 154 4 4 1 0 51 18 
			 8 Percenrage Manned 103  100  0  35 
			   
			  OR Posts 
			 9 Radiographer 40 5 0 0 0 0 7 5 
			 10 Lab Technician 70 21 0 0 0 0 26 4 
			 11 Op Dept Prac 80 29 0 0 16 2 48 12 
			   
			 12 Sub Total 190 55 0 0 16 2 81 21 
			 13 Percentage Manned 29 0 13 26 
			   
			 14 Total RAMC 340 209 4 4 17 2 132 39 
			 15 Percentage Manned 61  100  12  30 
		
	
	
		
			 Amb Regt   Med Gp   Total 
			   Est Strength Est Strength Est Strength 
		
		
			  Officer Posts 
			 1 Tech Officer Rad 0 0 0 0 22 18 
			 2 Tech Officer Lab 0 0 0 0 28 25 
			 3 Environmental Health Offr 0 0 0 0 33 33 
			 4 Pharmacist 0 0 0 0 32 26 
			 5 Physiotherapist 0 0 0 0 91 68 
			 6 PAM NYQ 0 0 0 0 0 6 
			 7 Sub Total 0 0 0 0 206 176 
			 8 Percentage Manned 0 0 
			 
			  OR Posts   
			 9 Radiographer 0 0 0 0 47 10 
			 10 Lab Technician 0 0 0 0 96 25 
			 11 Op Dept Prac 0 0 0 0 144 43 
			 
			 12 Sub Total 0 0 0 0 287 78 
			 13 Percentage Manned 0 0 
			 
			 14 Total RAMC 0 0 0 0 480 254 
			 15 Percentage Manned 0 0 0
		
	
	
		QARANC—Nursing posts
		
			 Ser Status/Profession Ind Hosp Fd Amb Med Sqns Specialists 
			 (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) 
		
		
			  Officer posts 
			 1 OC & 2i/c Nursing Sqn 20 17 0 0 0 0 2 2 
			 2 RGN (Adult) 1,230 604 26 29 22 31 117 113 
			 3 Theatre Sister (ENB 183) 40 49 0 0 0 0 23 9 
			 4 A&E (ENB 199) 140 90 0 0 0 0 14 5 
			 5 ITU (ENB 100) 220 85 0 0 0 0 22 11 
			 6 Orthopaedic (ENB 219) 100 24 0 0 0 0 10 4 
			 7 Gynaecology (ENB 225) 20 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 
			 8 GU Med (ENB 276) 40 9 0 0 0 0 4 1 
			 9 Burns (ENB 264) 40 11 0 0 0 0 10 3 
			 10 Neurosurgical (ENB 148) 20 9 0 0 0 0 2 1 
			 11 Opthalmology (ENB 346) 20 3 0 0 0 0 4 2 
			 12 Registered Midwife 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 
			 13 RSCN 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 
			 14 Community Psych Nurse 40 32 8 2 0 0 4 3 
			 15 RMN 40 50 4 2 0 0 9 8 
			 16 NO NYQ 0 75 0 3 0 4 0 2 
			 17 Sub total 1,970 1,061 38 36 22 35 295 165 
			 18 Percentage manned 54  95  159  56  
			  
			  OR Posts 
			 19 RGN (Adult) 0 0 0 0 17 5 1 1 
			 20 Sub total 0 0 0 0 17 5 1 1 
			 21 Percentage manned 0  0  29  100  
			   
			  Total OR and Officer posts 
			 22 Total 1,970 1,061 38 36 39 40 296 166 
			 23 Percentage manned 54  95  103  56  
		
	
	
		
			 Amb Regt   Med Gp Liab Str 
			   (k) (l) (m) (n) (o) (p) 
		
		
			  Officer Posts 
			 1 OC & 2i/c Nursing Sqn 0 0 0 0 22 19 
			 2 RGN (Adult) 0 0 0 0 1,455 777 
			 3 Theatre Sister (ENB 183) 0 0 0 0 63 58 
			 4 A&E (ENB 199) 0 0 0 0 154 95 
			 5 ITU (ENB 100) 0 0 0  242 96 
			 6 Orthopaedic (ENB 219) 0 0 0  110 28 
			 7 Gynaecology (ENB 225) 0 0 0  22 3 
			 8 GU Med (ENB 276) 0 0 0  44 10 
			 9 Burns (ENB 264) 0 0 0  50 14 
			 10 Neurosurgical (ENB 148) 0 0 0  22 10 
			 11 Opthalmology (ENB 346) 0 0 0  24 5 
			 12 Registered Midwife 0 0 0  6 0 
			 13 RSCN 0 0 0  6 1 
			 14 Community Psych Nurse 0 0 0  52 37 
			 15 RMN 0 0 0  53 60 
			 16 NO NYQ 0 0 0  0 84 
			 17 Sub total 0 0 0 0 2,325 1,297 
			 18 Percentage manned 0  0
			 
			  OR Posts   
			 19 RGN (Adult) 0 0 0 0 18 6 
			 20 Sub total 0 0 0 0 18 6 
			 21 Percentage manned 0  0
			 
			  Total OR and Officer posts   
			 22 Total 0 0 0 0 2,343 1,303 
			 23 Percentage manned 0  0

Tri-service Bill

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) armed forces personnel, broken down by (i) service and (ii) rank, and (b) civilian staff, broken down by grade, are working on drafting the new tri-service Bill; and under whose command, and at what location, the work is progressing.

Adam Ingram: The team working on the policy and legal issues for the tri-Service Bill is based in London, within the Directorate General of Service Personnel Policy, and reports to a senior civil service official. It consists of the following staff:
	Royal Navy: One Captain
	Army: Two Colonels
	Royal Air Force: One Group Captain and one Wing Commander
	Civil Service: One Bl (formerly Grade 6/Senior Principal) and one Cl (formerly Senior Executive Officer).
	The team is also able to draw on a large proportion of the time of a senior lawyer from Ministry of Defence legal advisers; and on extensive assistance from the single Service legal and personnel policy staffs.

Type-23 Frigates

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the number of Type-23 Frigates; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 June 2003, Official Report, column 1018W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin). There are currently no plans to reduce the number of Royal Navy Type-23 Frigates before the end of their scheduled service life around the middle of the next decade, from which point they will be progressively withdrawn.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition the Government uses of what qualifies as a weapon of mass destruction.

Adam Ingram: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 22 May 2002, Official Report, column 367W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith).